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Manchester United defender Harry Maguire has labeled the criticism of England’s performances in Euro 2024 as “a bit ridiculous.” Despite playing over 60 times under manager Gareth Southgate, Maguire missed England’s journey to a second consecutive European Championship final in Germany due to a calf injury.
During the group stage, Southgate and the team faced jeers from fans and harsh critiques from media and pundits, despite advancing through the tournament. “Yes, performances might not have been amazing but it is tournament football,” Maguire told BBC Sport during the club’s pre-season tour of the United States. “There are far less risks taken. You can’t afford to make mistakes or get caught going out in a full press.”
Maguire questioned the unrealistic expectations placed on the team: “I just don’t know what the media or fans expected of this team. Was it to go and beat Serbia 4-0 in the first game and then beat Denmark 3-0? Did they think it was just going to be a walk in the park?”
Southgate resigned two days after the tournament concluded.
Maguire’s teammate Tom Heaton, part of the England squad as a training goalkeeper, also expressed surprise at the negative narrative. “I am not quite sure where the narrative changed. Through Gareth’s whole reign as manager, there has been a real positive outlook to it. From a players’ point of view from inside the camp, we managed to shut it out and create a siege mentality and proved people wrong.”
Maguire reflected on missing two career highlights due to injury. He sustained a calf injury in May, ruling him out of the FA Cup final win over Manchester City, and another setback on England duty led to his exclusion from the Euro 2024 squad. “To miss out was tough,” he said. “It has been really frustrating, working all season to get myself mentally and physically at the top of my game and be in a position to feel I could really make a difference for Manchester United and my country.”
Despite challenges at United, including being stripped of the captaincy and dropped to fifth-choice central defender, Maguire made 31 appearances last season and remains determined to reclaim his first-team position. “There was a lot of uncertainty over my future last year but I sat down with the manager, he told me where I was at, said he believed in me and I would get chances. I proved last season when I got the chances I took them really well.”
United’s FA Cup final victory bolstered perceptions of manager Erik ten Hag, but Maguire acknowledges the team’s eighth-place Premier League finish was insufficient. With new leadership in place, he remains optimistic about United’s trajectory. “I don’t think we will go from finishing eighth in the league to winning all the trophies overnight. But I do think we are moving in the right direction now and the decisions that have been made at the top will help this club get back to where it should be.”
