Wayne Rooney: Harry Maguire 'very unlucky' to miss England World Cup squad

Former England captain Wayne Rooney has described the omission of Harry Maguire from Thomas Tuchel's World Cup squad as "very unlucky." The 33-year-old Manchester United defender, who has earned 66 caps for his country, was expected by some to be in contention based on his recent form.

"I think the Maguire one was the big one for me, which was a bit of a shock," Rooney said on his podcast. "If you look at him on form, I think Harry Maguire is very unlucky not to be in it. Maybe Tuchel is thinking he doesn't want to be disrespectful to Harry Maguire and take him and not play him. The big call out of the defenders was probably Harry or Dan Burn, and Tuchel has obviously chosen to go with Dan."

Rooney also discussed the broader squad selection, including the balance in midfield and the inclusion of forward Ivan Toney. He praised the decision to bring Toney back into the fold, noting that having three specialist strikers provides a valuable tactical option when chasing goals. Regarding Jude Bellingham, Rooney acknowledged that managing the high-profile midfielder will be a significant challenge for Tuchel as the team heads into the tournament.