New World Cup role for Maguire after painful rejection by Tuchel

Maguire turns World Cup disappointment into unexpected media role

Harry Maguire will not be part of England's squad at the 2026 World Cup, but the Manchester United defender is still expected to have a visible role during the tournament. After being left out of Thomas Tuchel's final selection, the 33-year-old centre-back is set to join the new Netflix version of The Rest Is Football as one of the guest analysts during the competition in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

It is a striking twist in what has been an emotional period for Maguire. For much of the season, the defender appeared to have played his way back into serious contention for England. Under Michael Carrick at Manchester United, he produced one of his most consistent campaigns in recent years, showing leadership, defensive maturity and the type of experience that has often made him valuable at international level. After difficult periods in which his form, place in the United side and England future were all questioned, Maguire seemed to have rebuilt his standing at exactly the right time.

That is why his omission from the World Cup squad came as such a painful decision. Tuchel ultimately chose to go in a different direction, selecting defenders such as Dan Burn, John Stones, Ezri Konza, Marc Guehi and Jarell Quansah ahead of him. The decision was one of the most discussed calls of the final squad announcement, not only because of Maguire's past importance to England, but also because of the timing. At 33, this tournament was widely viewed as his final realistic opportunity to represent his country on the biggest stage in world football.

Maguire has been one of England's most recognisable tournament players of the modern era. He was a key figure during the run to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018, played an important role at Euro 2020 and remained a trusted presence under previous England managers even during moments when his club career was under intense pressure. Few players have experienced the highs and lows of public opinion quite like him. At times, he has been praised as a leader and a reliable international defender. At other moments, he has become a target for criticism far beyond what most players have to deal with.

That background makes this latest development even more interesting. Instead of travelling to North America as part of the England squad, Maguire is now expected to be involved in the tournament from a very different position. According to reports from outlets including The Athletic and The Telegraph, he will appear as a guest analyst on the Netflix version of The Rest Is Football, the popular football show fronted by Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richards.

The move gives Maguire a new platform during a tournament he had hoped to experience from the pitch. His presence could add a valuable perspective to the coverage, particularly when England are discussed. Unlike many pundits looking at the team from the outside, Maguire has shared dressing rooms with several members of the squad, played under the pressure of major international tournaments and understands the scrutiny that follows England players during the World Cup. That type of first-hand insight is difficult to replicate.

The collaboration between Netflix and The Rest Is Football was announced at the end of 2025 and is expected to be one of the major media additions around the tournament. During the World Cup, the programme will broadcast daily from North America, giving viewers regular discussion, reaction and analysis throughout the competition. The show already has a large following in England and attracted close to 20 million downloads and video views during Euro 2024, underlining how influential football podcasts and video-led shows have become in modern sports coverage.

For Netflix, the agreement is another step into high-profile football content. For The Rest Is Football, it represents an opportunity to expand its audience during the most watched football event in the world. With Lineker, Shearer and Richards already established as one of the most recognisable football media teams in the UK, adding current or recently active players as guest voices could make the coverage feel more immediate and authentic. Maguire, given the circumstances surrounding his absence from the England squad, is likely to be one of the most talked-about guests.

There is, however, no escaping the personal disappointment behind the opportunity. Maguire had previously told DAZN that the 2026 World Cup would probably be his last chance to play at a global tournament. That admission now carries extra weight. For a player who has given so much to England across multiple tournaments, missing out at this stage of his career will not be easy to accept, especially after a season in which he believed he had done enough to return.

Tuchel's decision also reflects the changing shape of England's defensive options. The German coach appears to have prioritised a mix of athleticism, versatility, form and long-term planning. Players such as Guehi, Konza and Quansah represent a younger defensive generation, while Stones remains one of the most technically gifted centre-backs available. Burn offers size, physicality and left-sided balance. In that context, Maguire's experience was not enough to secure a place, even if his season at Manchester United had strengthened his case.

For supporters, the decision will divide opinion. Some will argue that Maguire's tournament experience, aerial strength and proven record for England should have made him a valuable squad member, especially in a competition where defensive organisation and set-pieces can be decisive. Others will see Tuchel's choice as a necessary break from the past, with England moving towards a different defensive profile and a more modern style of play.

Maguire now faces a different kind of challenge: analysing the very tournament he desperately wanted to play in. That role can be delicate. He will need to offer honest insight without sounding bitter, especially when discussing England, Tuchel's tactical decisions and the defenders selected ahead of him. If handled well, though, the role could show another side of Maguire. He has often been portrayed through the extremes of praise and criticism, but punditry may allow him to speak with more depth about leadership, pressure, defending and the emotional reality of elite football.

It may not be the World Cup role he wanted, but it is still a significant one. Maguire will remain part of the conversation around England, even from outside the squad. His move into media during the tournament does not erase the pain of being left out, yet it does ensure that his voice will be heard during what could have been the final chapter of his international playing career on the biggest stage.

For Maguire, the 2026 World Cup may now be remembered not as the tournament where he made one last run with England, but as the moment he began to step into a different football role. Whether that becomes a longer-term path remains to be seen. For now, it is a bittersweet consolation: no England shirt, no place in Tuchel's squad, but still a seat close to the centre of the World Cup story.