Harry Maguire has been a favorite target of criticism and mockery on social networks for a few months. The 29-year-old Englishman, recruited at a golden price by Manchester United in 2019, has thus become the symbol of the difficulties of the Red Devils. On the other hand, in the England team, the central defender remains a starter. A place justified by solid performances during the 2022 World Cup, while waiting for a quarter-final against France, this December 10 in Al Khor.
From our Special Envoy in Doha,
” I don’t read too much, to be honest. Harry Maguire, defender of the England team, assured the British press during this World Cup 2022 : he pays as little attention as possible to what is written about him, especially on social networks. The resident of Manchester United, who is about to face France in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, has something to look away.
Considered too slow, too technically clumsy, arrogant, by many Internet users (and specialized English sites), the 29-year-old player is the worst defender in the Championship (Premier League), even the worst in the world. In any case, he has become, in spite of himself, the symbol of the difficulties of Red Devils, current 5th in the Premier League, who recruited him at a golden price (87 million euros) in 2019 but whose bench he heats. touches, most of the time, for three months. Manager Erik ten Hag often prefers Argentinian Lisandro Martinez and Frenchman Raphaël Varane.
” I know Harry Maguire is not playing as often as he would like this seasonunderlines his partner in selection, Kalvin Phillips, in a press conference. He suffered a lot of attacks, which does not seem to me to be deserved. I think he’s a great professional and a great footballer. Just watch England play in major tournaments. He is one of the best defenders in the national team for a long time “. The midfielder continues: When there are set pieces and you have to go to the duel, he is the first to go. And of course, he also scored very important goals “.
Mockery of a Ghanaian parliamentarian and bomb threat
In Qatar, the native of Sheffield has not yet scored, as he was able to do in the quarter-finals of the 2018 World Cup (2-0 against Sweden) and in the quarter-finals of Euro 2021 (4-0 against Ukraine). On the other hand, he produced four solid performances at both ends of the field, against Iran (6-2), the United States (0-0), Wales (3-0), and against Senegal (3-0) in the round of 16. And his central hinge association with John Stones seems to satisfy coach Gareth Southgate. ” He plays pretty wellsays BBC reporter Shamoon Hafez. England haven’t conceded in their last three matches which is a surprise as Harry Maguire hasn’t played much this season. There have also been calls for Southgate to drop him “.
To (re) read ► 2022 World Cup: Senegal falls against England who will challenge France
These performances did not prevent the former Dutch star Rafael van der Vaart from throwing a nasty, following the elimination of the Germans in the first round: “ Germany have a problem in defense, Niklas Süle is not a world-class player: he is Germany’s Harry Maguire ! “. More unusual, the “Maguire Bashing” took on another dimension when a Ghanaian parliamentarian questioned the vice-president of the country in the middle of the session, calling him ” maguire of economics “. A sequence widely relayed and which says a lot about the extent of the phenomenon.
But the person concerned has known much worse: last April, a madman threatened to detonate several bombs at his home, if he did not leave United. A shock for the Mancunian who clings to football, amid a torrent of criticism and mockery.
The quarter-final against the French is therefore a golden opportunity for Harry Maguire to silence his detractors. His contribution to aerial play will be crucial against Olivier Giroud “, the top scorer in the history of the Blues (52 achievements), underlines Shamoon Hafez. But the journalist adds: Now, it’s a totally different opposition that awaits him, facing the world champions, and some of the best players in the world like Kylian Mbappé, Antoine Griezmann or Ousmane Dembélé. “A challenge that does not seem to scare the one nicknamed “Slaphead”, which could be translated as “cinderblock head”. “ I’m living a dream. I do everything that I always wanted to dohe relativizes in the English press.For the next step in my career, I want to start winning trophies “.
To (re) read ► 2022 World Cup: Kyle Walker, antidote to poison Kylian Mbappé?