Tuchel makes Maguire "weapon" claim as World Cup starting XI becomes clearer

England brag Thomas Tuchel has revealed that Harry Maguire is his fifth-choice centre-back contempt his prowess from acceptable pieces.

The Three Lions were held to a frustrating 1-1 stalemate by Uruguay connected Friday, with Federico Valverde's punishment successful second-half stoppage clip cancelling retired Ben White's precocious opener.

Tuchel started a centre-back duo of Maguire and Fikayo Tomori, though the former's spot successful the squad for the 2026 World Cup appears to beryllium successful doubt.

The England brag explicitly revealed that a fig of others are up of him successful the pecking order, telling reporters: "I got precisely what I thought [from Maguire]. Solid, coagulated cardinal defender play. That's what helium does. Very bully connected the ball, precise calm, beardown successful the aerial and a limb for set-pieces.

"I haven't changed my caput but I spot different players I similar to commencement for us, I spot different players up with a antithetic profile. I spot Ezri Konsa ahead, I spot Marc Guehi ahead. It's nary secret. I spot Trevoh Chalobah connected the level of mobility was somewhat up of him.

"Also John Stones but helium had injuries truthful helium needed to travel successful camp. I needed to conscionable him successful idiosyncratic to spot however helium acts wrong the group. It volition beryllium absorbing present to spot however helium acts wrong the group. He volition enactment with us."

Maguire was a mainstay successful the XI nether erstwhile caput manager Gareth Southgate, but the Manchester United prima is expected to beryllium near retired of the squad that faces Japan connected Tuesday.

Harry Maguire: Should Thomas Tuchel instrumentality Man United prima to World Cup?

Maguire was portion of the England teams that reached the last of Euro 2020, arsenic good arsenic the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup.

The Englishman emphatically scored his punishment successful the Euro 2020 last against Italy, and his mindset could beryllium utile successful high-pressure situations.

However, the 33-year-old lacks gait and mobility, and his struggles against accelerated opponents whitethorn beryllium costly successful the knockout stages of this summer's tournament.

Maguire has besides lone started 14 Premier League games for Manchester United this season, and determination is an statement that it would beryllium unfair to reward him with a spot successful the squad erstwhile helium has struggled for fittingness and form.

Who should commencement for England astatine World Cup 2026?

Marc Guehi has nary uncertainty been among the champion performing defenders successful the Premier League this season, and his enactment successful a backmost 4 is astir certain.

Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa has sizeable acquisition arsenic a full-back, truthful portion Tuchel whitethorn spot him arsenic a cardinal defender, helium could beryllium utilized retired wide successful bid to facilitate a much antiaircraft approach.

Bayer Leverkusen's Jarell Quansah has played good for the Bundesliga nine contempt the team's struggles domestically, and helium should beryllium an enactment successful the mediate of a backmost 4 irrespective of whether Tuchel plays a accepted right-back.