Maguire Left Out as Tuchel Spring-Surprises with Toney Recall in England World Cup Squad

Harry Maguire has been left out of England’s World Cup squad by Thomas Tuchel, while Ivan Toney has earned a surprise recall. Maguire said he was “shocked and gutted” by the decision after believing his form for Manchester United and recent England performances had put him in contention for a major role this summer.

The omission is a major blow for the 66-cap defender, who fought his way back into the United team and started 14 of their last 16 Premier League matches under Michael Carrick. His resurgence had earned him a return to the England set-up in March, where he impressed in a draw with Uruguay and featured again against Japan. Even so, Tuchel had already hinted that Maguire was not among his preferred centre-backs, naming several players he considered ahead of him in the pecking order.

Tuchel’s decision also means Luke Shaw is set to miss out on the squad, adding to Manchester United’s disappointment. The England boss has opted for a different mix of defenders, with Rob Dorsett noting that Marc Guehi and Ezri Konsa are likely to be first-choice, while Dan Burn, Levi Colwill, John Stones, Jarell Quansah and Trevoh Chalobah are all in the conversation for the remaining places.

The biggest surprise, though, is Toney’s return. The striker has played only two minutes under Tuchel, but his prolific season for Al-Ahli in Saudi Arabia appears to have forced his way back into the frame. Toney has scored 32 goals in 32 league matches this season and had made clear earlier in the year that representing England at a World Cup would be a dream.

His selection has raised eyebrows because of how little he has featured for England under Tuchel, but his form in Saudi Arabia has clearly carried weight. Tuchel has made no secret of wanting players in the best shape and form for the tournament, and Toney’s goalscoring record has clearly impressed enough to earn him a place.

England will now head to the United States on June 1 and base themselves in Kansas City during the tournament. They face New Zealand and Costa Rica in warm-up matches before opening their World Cup campaign against Croatia on June 17. The squad announcement marks the start of Tuchel’s final preparations, and the decisions around Maguire and Toney show he is willing to make bold calls before the biggest tournament of the year.