Tuchel Calls Up Mainoo and Rashford, Excludes Maguire from England Squad

Thomas Tuchel has turned to Manchester again – but not to Harry Maguire.

The England head coach has called up Manchester United pair Kobbie Mainoo and Marcus Rashford for the extended international break, rewarding their sharp club form with places in his latest squad for Nations League fixtures against Spain, Czechia and Croatia.

Maguire, though, remains on the outside looking in, and Tuchel has now made clear he was unimpressed with how the centre-back handled his World Cup omission.

Tuchel unimpressed with Maguire reaction

Maguire was left out of Tuchel’s World Cup squad despite re-establishing himself as a trusted figure under Michael Carrick at Old Trafford. The decision stunned the defender, who chose to go public with his frustration.

"I was confident I could have played a major part this summer for my country after the season I’ve had," Maguire wrote on social media. "I’ve been left shocked and gutted by the decision. I’ve loved nothing more than putting that shirt on and representing my country over the years. I wish the players all the best this summer."

His family followed suit. His mother, Zoe, said she was "absolutely disgusted" by the call, while his brother Joe described it as "possibly the worst decision I've ever seen in my life. No words."

Maguire later travelled to New York to work on The Rest is Football podcast, where he explained how he discovered he had been left out.

"He [Tuchel] FaceTimes everyone. It was quite an awkward call," Maguire said. "I said straightaway I was really disappointed. I thought I did enough to be in the squad and thought I could have helped and had a part to play on and off the pitch.

"He said he can't give me an excuse but he had gone with the four lads who got him through the qualifiers.

"It was tough to take. I did think I would be in the squad after being selected for the March camp under him for the first time. I did really well in both games and then went back to Manchester United and finished the season really strongly."

Tuchel has now responded. After unveiling his latest England squad, he admitted the public backlash from Maguire and his family did not sit well with him.

"It does not help," he told talkSPORT. "I will not hold it against him for the rest of his life, because I’m not that type of person. I can forget easily and quickly.

"But I didn’t like it and it doesn’t help. I’ve not spoken to him since."

United duo in, Maguire still out

While Maguire’s England future hangs in the balance, United are still represented. Mainoo’s rapid rise continues with another call-up, and Rashford’s early-season form has earned him a place in the squad as Tuchel prepares for a demanding Nations League run.

The message from the England manager is blunt enough: perform, accept the decisions, move on. Those who do are in his plans. Those who don’t are watching from afar.