World Cup 2026: Should Harry Maguire make the England Squad?

| Monday 17th November 2025, 15:36pm

Monday 17th November 2025, 15:36pm

England enjoyed two more wins during the final international break of 2025, and now all attention will turn to the World Cup draw in December. Thomas Tuchel will also have a few names in the frame to make his World Cup squad, and here on Betfred Insights, we are looking at some of the 50/50 calls.

Next up, a man of great experience and a defender that has always produced for his country… Harry Maguire.

2026 England World Cup Squad Odds

Harry Maguire to make World Cup squad @ 9/4

*Odds correct as of the time of publication

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Maguire has been one of England’s greatest players over the past decade. A key figure under Gareth Southgate, the centre-back was pivotal to the Three Lions and their journey at three of the last four tournaments.

Now this piece is being written with a hefty dose of bias because I absolutely love Maguire. He’s been through some of the worst abuse footballers face, and come out the other side of it - while he’s also been a beating heart of a wonderful England team.

In the final of Euro 2020, after Harry Kane had converted the first penalty, there was a sharp intake of breath as Maguire stepped forward for the second. He then delivered the best penalty of all time™, hammering the ball past Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the top corner.

There’s been countless occasions when Maguire has stepped up to the plate, also scoring goals against Sweden and Ukraine in the knockout stages of major tournaments. As a key part of Southgate’s defence, he led a back three or a back four and never let his country down when it came down to it.

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England reached one final, one semi-final and one quarter-final with Jordan Pickford, Maguire, John Stones and Kyle Walker key figures in the defence. Unfortunately for the Manchester United man, his lack of game time in certain spells at Manchester United, and the emergence of defenders such as Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa has seen him slide out of contention under Thomas Tuchel.

A calf injury ruled him out of Euro 2024 as he couldn’t make it back to full fitness in time and although he returned to the squad for his last appearance in September 2024 - he hasn’t been included in any squad since. That means the new manager Tuchel hasn’t picked him and at 32, it does feel like his international career is winding down.

England World Cup 2026 Squad Odds

However… England don’t have a great amount of depth at centre-back. Stones and Guehi are the starters and Ezri Konsa, Dan Burn, Trevoh Chalobah and Jarell Quansah were the others named in the latest squad. None of those standout on paper, although Burn does offer the physicality that Maguire would provide.

If, and it's a big if, he can force his way into a Manchester United defence that climbs the table and competes in the top six, he should certainly be considered again by Tuchel. It would be quite the turnaround and I’d want longer odds than the 11/4 on offer for it to happen, but England could do a lot worse than give Maguire a call if they need to. He never lets his country down, and has been a wonderful servant over the past decade. One last dance?

World Cup Odds

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