LONDON - England coach Thomas Tuchel appears to have dealt a blow to Harry Maguire's chances at the 2026 World Cup by insisting he is still his fifth-choice centre-back.
Maguire appears to have strengthened his position to go to the 2026 World Cup this summer after a dominant performance in his return to the Three Lions in a friendly against Uruguay on Saturday, March 28, which ended in a 1-1 draw.
It was his first appearance under Tuchel. He played in the second half as captain in a slick performance that has been a hallmark of his career with England.
The German coach acknowledged the strength of the Manchester United defender, but said he was still behind Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, John Stones, and Trevoh Chalobah in order of priority.
"I got exactly what I thought, a solid central defensive performance. That's what he did. Very good at controlling the ball, very calm, strong in the air and a weapon in the dead ball."
"I haven't changed my mind, but I see other players that I want to make starters. I see other players with a different profile."
"I see Ezri Konsa is superior, I see Marc Guehi is superior. It's no secret. I see Trevor Chalobah is a little bit better in terms of mobility."
"There is also John Stones, but he has an injury. So, he needs to come to training camp. I need to meet him in person to see how he acts in the team. He will stay with us."
"As I said, he is an asset, of course. He can also be very important in the tournament, in the knockout stages, in maintaining the lead, catching up with crosses, and long throws and dead balls," said Tuchel.
Asked if Maguire would be in the squad if it had to be announced now, Tuchel did not want to answer bluntly.
"If, if, if. We don't need to announce the line-up tomorrow. He's playing well. He's doing what he normally does for Manchester United."
"He did it quickly. I'm very happy with him. To be honest, I haven't changed my mind. I'm getting everything I expected from him."
"If I have to announce it tomorrow, we have a lot of injured players, he could be on the list. Who else will be in the middle of the defense?" said the German coach.
Stones was not involved against Uruguay after feeling calf pain during training. The frustration of the 31-year-old continued due to injury.
The Manchester City defender has only played five times for his club since the November 2025 international break and has struggled to get consistent playing time.
Nevertheless, Tuchel said he had good value and described him as a world-class player. It seems that the coach will make an exception for Stones regarding his lack of playing time.
"I don't know yet. If you come to the World Cup, you have to be fit. So, when he comes (to the camp), he is fit."
"He doesn't play a lot, but he has a good understanding of the game. So, the exception to the rule means he doesn't often start."
"I can see that because I'm a big fan of him. I know what he gives to the team in terms of personality, attitude, and understanding of quality games," said Tuchel.
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