Harry Maguire Said He 'Could Have Helped' England, And Thomas Tuchel Had Zero Excuses For His World Cup Snub

Oh man, talk about a gut punch right before the biggest tournament! Just when England thought they were all set for the FIFA World Cup, Newcastle's Tino Livramento got sidelined with a calf injury, pulling him out of the entire competition. Seriously, the dude had a season plagued by injuries, missing 25 games with knee, hamstring, and thigh issues. England's opening match against Croatia is coming up fast on Wednesday, and head coach Thomas Tuchel had to scramble for a replacement.

The Next Man Up... Or Is He?

So, who gets the call? Tuchel announced Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah will fill Livramento's spot, as per The Mirror. Chalobah is 26, and get this, he’s only had one single call-up for his country in his entire career! That one appearance was in a pretty dismal 3-1 friendly loss to Senegal a year ago. Livramento, on the other hand, had racked up six England caps since his international debut in November 2024. What a difference in experience going into a World Cup! England's got other full-back options like Reece James, Nico O'Reilly, and Djed Spence, plus Jarell Quansah and Dan Burn who can cover. Replacing Livramento with someone so green at the international level, especially when Livramento himself was no veteran, feels like a gamble.

The Maguire Snub That Stings

But honestly, the biggest shocker might not even be Livramento's injury. It's who was left out in the first place, and what he had to say about it. Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, a surprising absentee from Tuchel's initial 26-man roster, revealed the brutal truth on The Rest Is Football podcast. He got a video call from Tuchel, an "awkward call" as he put it. The worst part? News about his place being in doubt leaked to the media about half an hour before Tuchel even told him! Imagine that frustration! Maguire, 33, said he was "really disappointed" and found it a "surprise at the time." He felt like he "did enough to be in the squad" and could have "helped the lads out there" both on and off the pitch.

Maguire, a self-described "big personality" and experienced player, had an "honest conversation" with Tuchel. And what did the coach say? Maguire quoted Tuchel admitting, "he can't really give me an excuse." Tuchel explained he went with four guys who performed well in autumn qualifying camps, but still admitted he couldn't give an excuse. That's a tough pill to swallow for a guy who just wanted to be there, even for one minute. "That's football. It was tough to take," Maguire said. England kicks off their World Cup campaign against Croatia, and with defensive questions hanging in the air, you gotta wonder if Tuchel's "no excuse" decision will haunt him.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.