Harry Maguire: England’s near-complete defender ready for Denmark redemption

Denmark at Wembley may bring up bad memories for Maguire, but a European Championship semi-final offers the perfect opportunity to show how far he’s come

It is remarkable to think that Harry Maguire went into England’s last major international tournament with only five caps to his name given the seniority that he now holds within the camp. Only Harry Kane and Jordan Henderson carry the same authority and leadership experience. Only Kane and Raheem Sterling are of greater importance. Maguire, in fact, may be the most difficult of all to replace.

Yes, England coped without him at the start of Euro 2020, with Tyrone Mings deputising well while the Manchester United captain recovered from an ankle ligament injury, but there are few centre-halves in Europe who have the range of abilities that Maguire has developed in recent years. He does not have the pace or agility of some of his peers, but you struggle to name any other flaws. He is close to being a complete centre-back, in an age when more is demanded of those in the position than ever.

For a player who was on the fringes of the squad at the end of the last World Cup qualifiers, it has been a remarkable rise over the past three years, one that continues on an upward trajectory. That trajectory has not always been steady, though, and was in serious jeopardy of hitting a downward slope earlier this season, the last time that Denmark visited Wembley, back in October.

As Maguire stretched out his right leg to make the challenge, you could already tell he was arriving slightly too late. Instead of snapping the ball off Yussuf Poulsen’s toes, he was about to stamp on them instead. Before a full five minutes had elapsed on the clock, he already had his first yellow card.

Only half an hour had gone against Denmark in the Nations League at Wembley last October when he was over-stretching again, this time to recover a poor first touch that had sent the ball into Kasper Dolberg’s path. Maguire reached it in time to tip it away from Dolberg, but with enough force for the follow through to catch the Dane’s ankle with his studs.

Each mistimed tackle was as clear a yellow card as you could hope to see. Together, they made the first red of Maguire’s international career. He did not know it at that point but this would be the final indignity he would suffer during the most difficult two months of his life, and the start of him indisputably becoming one of the best defenders in world football.

Maguire was already the most expensive, of course. At the time of that sending off, which contributed to England’s drab 1-0 defeat, it was common for Maguire’s critics to take that dubious accolade and beat him over his slabhead with it.

In fairness, he had not looked much like a £80m player at Old Trafford 10 days earlier, particularly not when dragging his own team-mate Luke Shaw to the ground while desperately attempting to stop the second of Tottenham’s six goals in a devastating Manchester United defeat.

It was a forgettable night for Maguire last time England played Denmark (PA Archive)

The recriminations from that game were fierce and, if Maguire’s starting place was never called into question, his authority certainly was. “The captain, Harry Maguire,” said Patrice Evra, analysing for Sky Sports that evening. “How many years has he been here? Just one and he's the captain. It shows you we don't have any leaders to win trophies.”

And this all, of course, came amid the fall-out from his arrest following an altercation with police in Mykonos last August. Maguire was found guilty of aggravated assault, resisting arrest and attempted bribery, then handed a 21-month suspended jail sentence. He and his co-defendants have always denied all allegations. An appeal was lodged, nullifying the conviction under Greek law until a retrial.

In an interview with the BBC, he would later claim to have feared for his life during the incident, as police officers allegedly hit him on his legs and told him his career would be finished. “I know what happened that night. I know the truth,” he said. “When I speak about it I get worked up but that's because it just makes me feel a bit angry inside. I will move on. I am mentally strong enough.”

With the unconditional support of the United and England set-ups behind him, Maguire attempted to carry on as normal as quickly as possible but still appeared burdened by those troubles against Denmark, as though the weight of it all was making him a half-second slower. After he was shown the red card, he stood stock still for a moment, as though contemplating whether things could realistically get any worse.

They may have, too, if both his club and international manager were not fully behind him. “He’s been getting all sorts for a while, from some people who should know better,” Gareth Southgate said in reaction to the sending-off. “In these periods you learn a lot about yourself. You learn a lot about other people. You learn who’s there for you. He’ll be a better player and a stronger man for it.”

The message was similar in Manchester, where Maguire had made such an impression after only a year at Old Trafford that club officials were determined to back him to the hilt. That included Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who had no qualms about starting him away at Newcastle the following Saturday. “Harry’s got great resilience. He is adamant he is ready to play,” Solskjaer insisted.

Having opened their Premier League campaign with two defeats in three games, United went behind to an unfortunate Shaw own goal within two minutes. Already, to those of us in the press box at St James’ Park, it felt as though there was blood in the water. Yet Maguire came to his team-mates’ and manager’s aid, heading in a corner on 23 minutes and celebrating with a defiant, flinty and unyielding stare.

A late flurry of goals later saw United run out 4-1 winners. As far as games go, it was forgettable. As far as results go, it was one of the most important under Solskjaer, easing at least some of the early season angst. For Maguire, it was a turning point and the beginning of the end of his ordeal. He could not help but point to that moment when discussing the red card and his difficult start to the season at St George’s Park earlier this week.

“It was important that I came back strong and performed well for Manchester United,” he said, referencing that goal. “It was a challenging time but I am proud of the way I handled it and came through it. When I was walking off the pitch [after the red card], of course I felt low. I felt like I was letting my team down. But mistakes happen and you bounce back and I am proud of the way I have handled myself from then on.” Maguire has not looked back since.

Since that Newcastle goal, his performances never plumbed the depths of Tottenham or Denmark. Behind Manchester City’s Ruben Dias, he was arguably the top flight’s best centre-half last season. What impresses most is how well-rounded his game has become: dominant in the air, adept at reading the opposition, excellent at moving and carrying the ball up the pitch and a threat in the opposition’s box, even if he could score more on set-pieces.

To miss the start of this tournament with an ankle injury was unfortunate, but the difference that Maguire makes for England was evident on his return in the final group game against the Czech Republic.

Maguire celebrates his goal against Ukraine (AP)

One sublime pass from deep into Harry Kane’s feet that day - angled through the heart of the Czech midfield - quickly demonstrated the value he adds in possession and should have resulted in a second England goal. There was another, a few minutes earlier, over the top of the Czech defence which almost set Shaw in behind, only for the left-back to be flagged marginally offside. The range and ambition of what Maguire can do with the ball from deep changes England’s dynamic entirely.

Even when things were not going so well, Southgate and the rest of the England set-up were certain to stand by him. Maguire always felt that support. “Without getting into too much detail of what went off last summer, I knew where I stood in regards to that,” he said. “Gareth’s support of me has been brilliant since I made my debut for England. Ever since, when I’ve been available, I’ve pretty much played in every game possible.

“That gives me great confidence, belief and trust,” he added. “Every time I step onto the pitch I’m trying to repay the faith and the trust. I’ve had lots of conversations, lots of texts, lots of phone calls from Gareth. And then speaking to him when I’ve come into camp he’s always there to help.”

Maguire has learned to accept the errors that he makes. “It’s impossible to go through a career without having bad moments and making mistakes. Gareth passes on his experiences and the way he handles things and I’m always open to learning and improving. I can’t speak highly enough of Gareth and what he has done for me personally and the trust and faith he has put in me.”

There is now an ideal opportunity to repay that trust. Denmark at Wembley may bring up bad memories for Maguire but that only makes it an occasion with added significance, as if a European Championship semi-final was not significant enough. By maintaining his excellent form through this tournament and helping England to reach the Wembley final, his redemption from that dark, lonely autumn will be complete.