World Cup 2026: England boss Thomas Tuchel makes Harry Maguire "weapon" claim as summer starting team becomes clearer

England boss Thomas Tuchel has revealed that Harry Maguire is his fifth-choice centre-back despite his prowess from set pieces.

The Three Lions were held to a frustrating 1-1 stalemate by Uruguay on Friday, with Federico Valverde's penalty in second-half stoppage time cancelling out Ben White's late opener.

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

The England boss explicitly revealed that a number of others are ahead of him in the pecking order, telling reporters: "I got exactly what I thought [from Maguire]. Solid, solid central defender play. That's what he does. Very good on the ball, very calm, strong in the air and a weapon for set-pieces.

"I haven't changed my mind but I see other players I like to start for us, I see other players ahead with a different profile. I see Ezri Konsa ahead, I see Marc Guehi ahead. It's no secret. I see Trevoh Chalobah on the level of mobility was slightly ahead of him.

"Also John Stones but he had injuries so he needed to come in camp. I needed to meet him in person to see how he acts within the group. It will be interesting now to see how he acts within the group. He will stay with us."

Maguire was a mainstay in the XI under former head coach Gareth Southgate, but the Manchester United star is expected to be left out of the team that faces Japan on Tuesday.

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Harry Maguire: Should Thomas Tuchel take Man United star to World Cup?

Maguire was part of the England teams that reached the final of Euro 2020, as well as the semi-final of the 2018 World Cup.

The Englishman emphatically scored his penalty in the Euro 2020 final against Italy, and his mindset could be useful in high-pressure situations.

However, the 33-year-old lacks pace and mobility, and his struggles against fast opponents may be costly in the knockout stages of this summer's tournament.

Maguire has also only started 14 Premier League games for Manchester United this season, and there is an argument that it would be unfair to reward him with a place in the squad when he has struggled for fitness and form.

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Who should start for England at World Cup 2026?

Marc Guehi has no doubt been among the best performing defenders in the Premier League this season, and his selection in a back four is almost certain.

Aston Villa's Ezri Konsa has considerable experience as a full-back, so while Tuchel may see him as a central defender, he could be used out wide in order to facilitate a more defensive approach.

Bayer Leverkusen's Jarell Quansah has played well for the Bundesliga club despite the team's struggles domestically, and he should be an option in the middle of a back four irrespective of whether Tuchel plays a traditional right-back.