After enduring heavy criticism and online trolling due to poor performances, Harry Maguire has turned things around with impressive recent displays for Manchester United.
Despite United’s struggles this season, Maguire has stood out with his consistent performances. His resurgence has led United coach Rubén Amorim to believe that the defender deserves a recall to the England national team.
Once a key figure for England, Maguire has earned 64 caps for his country. However, a sharp dip in form saw him making costly mistakes for both club and country, leading to his exclusion from the starting XI. In 2023, then-United manager Erik ten Hag stripped him of the captaincy, and England coach Gareth Southgate left him out of the Euros squad.
During that period, Maguire became a target for relentless criticism, memes, and online trolling. However, the 31-year-old defender has bounced back strongly. He has been a solid presence in United’s defense and even scored match-winning goals against Leicester City in the FA Cup fourth round and Ipswich Town in the Premier League last month.
England’s upcoming World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Latvia will mark the first squad announcement under new head coach Thomas Tuchel. United coach Amorim hopes Maguire will be included.
“If that’s enough to convince the national team coach, I’ll be very happy for him. In my opinion, he deserves it,” said Amorim.
“He’s a great guy. Of course, there’s always room for improvement, as every footballer can grow. But right now, his performances are strong, and he’s become a leader who can help the national team. Hopefully, he’ll be in the squad for the upcoming matches.”
England will face Albania on March 21, followed by a match against Latvia three days later.
