Harry Maguire made statement about World Cup

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Harry Maguire believes England can win the tournament

Harry Maguire frames it differently, and there is a distinction. When questioned in Qatar, his England teammates mostly said they could win the World Cup. That is the goal. They have not been shy about saying so. But for Maguire, it goes beyond that. It is more than just a target. It is an obligation as he prepares for Saturday night’s quarter-final against France.

“That’s the one thing that stands out from the 2018 squad,” Maguire says. “I played in the semi-finals, and a lot of the lads were happy.” You knew that no matter what happened in that semi-final [when they lost to Croatia], you’d go home as a hero; you’d get a good reception, and everyone would be patting you on the back. There is now a strong belief that we must win this tournament.

“Of course we know how difficult it will be. There are probably five or six teams who believe the same thing. But we were most likely not one of those teams in 2018. There are about five or six people who believe this, and we are one of them.”

When thinking about Maguire or speaking with him, it’s impossible not to think about his mental state. Or, to put it another way, I’m curious how he handles it all because, over the last year and a half, Maguire has become a virtual byword for disaster. That has to affect a player, even one as old as him.

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