Harry Maguire was given as easy of a start as possible in this World Cup, allowing him to ease into the game and gain confidence before meeting a tragic end.
Harry Maguire’s trip across the world was all it took to help him discover who he was. The defender, who was cut loose by Manchester United, was a lock to start for England in their World Cup opener against Iran even if manager Gareth Southgate decided to field a back four instead. After all, some players are always selected by national team managers no matter how they perform for their club teams.
Fortunately for the millions of viewers back in England, Southgate went with option (a) rather than (b). Iran was ultimately not good enough to warrant playing with three central defenders, and even two would have been too many.
Maguire and John Stones got the nod, and right away the United captain looked comfortable with a player he has spent so much time on the field with. Maguire was given as easy of a start to the World Cup as anyone could hope for; As a result, he was able to play at his own pace and gain confidence as the first half progressed.was
The threat he poses from corners is huge for this England team, and he should have been given a penalty for a collision in the Iranian penalty area early on. If he didn’t merit it, Harry Kane certainly did.
Never mind that Maguire’s header hit the post instead of the goalpost; England was always going to be too good for their weak opponents. That may have served as motivation for England’s Jude Bellingham, whose headed goal soon put his team in the lead.
There was no coming back from that point, and Iran, egged on by their delirious fans, could only take a few long-range shots as they vainly tried to get back into a game they never had a chance to win.
Before halftime, England added two more goals, and after the break, they almost strutted out onto the field, with Maguire appearing to be having the most fun.
After a nervous error by Kieran Trippier, he picked up the ball and sprinted forward to start an England attack; he should have received the ball from Harry Kane as he sprinted past the visiting defense, but instead, he was forced to settle for a corner kick.
It was a preview of the Maguire we and Manchester United saw in 2018 and he was at his best. However, a catch would inevitably be added, as it always was with him. It was not a pretty sight when Mehdi Taremi ran off the back of Maguire to score for Iran, but it appeared that Maguire had been dazed and had to be helped to his feet.
Though his early exit marred an otherwise stellar performance, it was for the best. But, as usual, there are exceptions when it comes to him.