Maguire on his major lows and belief he is still one of world's best

By Simon Stone (https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/topics/c8gr7dqlp5pt)

Manchester United reporter in Maynooth

Even for a high-profile international footballer, sometimes mum knows best.

In September 2023, when, by his own admission, Manchester United defender Harry Maguire was at his lowest ebb, as he was abused and mocked during an England appearance against Scotland ("I came on, played really well, then scored an own goal"), his mum Zoe took to social media.

She called the treatment of her son "disgraceful and unacceptable".

"I didn't want her to, but she just said, 'I'm doing it! I'm not listening to you!'" Maguire said, smiling, as he spoke at length about his career so far and hopes for the future to journalists at the club's training camp in Maynooth, 20 miles outside Dublin.

"I think it probably does affect your family a little bit more in those moments. They've seen what we're going through and how tough it is.

"That was probably the lowest point, but it's part of the journey.

"I wouldn't change where I've been and what I've been through. It's definitely made me stronger and got me to where I am today."

It seems unfair to focus on negatives.

Maguire, 33, feels he has "performed really well" in six out of his seven seasons at Old Trafford.

"I still believe, even at my age, I'm arguably one of the best defenders in the world in both boxes," he said. "I don't think that's in question really; that I can be really effective later on in games, whether you're holding on to a lead or trying to chase a game."

Yet the openness and the honesty with which he assessed his more difficult moments made it an obvious area to probe, 24 hours after it had been confirmed Maguire had signed a new deal that will give him an eighth campaign at the club, and potentially a ninth.

After all, this is someone who had the captaincy taken off him by then-manager Erik ten Hag and the club were prepared to sell to West Ham a couple of months before that Scotland game.

"Obviously your first emotion is anger and disappointment, that's natural," he said of the captaincy call.

"But I always thought unless you are one of the superstars and a world, world class player, you have ups and downs and things that you have to deal with. That's why you see so many players have two or three years at the top, drop off, go to a different country and you don't hear too much about them again.

"Wayne Rooney was here, one of the best players to ever play for this club, and he got so much pelters at times when he wasn't doing too well. I always looked to the experience with players like Wayne and David Beckham and how they overcame it.

"I just kept my head down. I have great self-belief, more importantly, that I'm a top player. That's what helps me when things are tough."

Clearly, strength of mind is a positive character trait.

Maguire accepts it has been bumpy at times.

He did not go as far as to say he benefited from having the captaincy taken away but did admit "the form came back" after it happened. "I believe the form would have come back whether I was captain or not," he added.

However, he concedes not everyone would have the mental strength to navigate their way through his pathway.

"Yes probably," he said, when asked if it would have broken most players.

"I think there'll be a lot who want to just close the book, go elsewhere and restart their career. I think it's probably broken them a little bit earlier. It got to a point with the mocking and the abuse - if you want to call it abuse - there was only one way it could go."

Maguire 'desperate' to go to the World Cup

Thankfully for Maguire, the public perception of him has changed considerably. His contract extension proves his value.

Manchester United were not willing to let so much ability and experience leave the dressing room in the same summer as Casemiro heads for pastures new.

There was a lot of interest in the defender, whose deal had been due to expire in June.

But it never truly felt like this summer would be the end for him at Manchester United.

"It's a huge honour to play for this club," he said. "To be here for eight years is a testament to myself really."

"My focus was getting it back into a competitive situation.

"I always wanted to be part of a squad I felt could compete. The recruitment went well last year, and I think it's going to be a big summer.

"The club let me know a couple of months ago they wanted to offer something. I was concentrating on matches, but we had this little break, and I thought, right, let's try and nail it down."

United are third going into the final seven games of the campaign. With five Champions League places available, four wins and a draw is the maximum requirement to return to Europe's elite club competition.

Maguire – who is suspended for the 13 April meeting with Leeds at Old Trafford, after which he expects to learn whether his reaction to being sent off at Bournemouth last month will rule him out of the following week's trip to Chelsea as well – is taking nothing for granted.

"You go away from home to anybody, it's a tough game and if you're not on it you get beat," he said.

"If we take our foot off the pedal, we could be caught. You've got Chelsea, Villa, Liverpool, who could all put six wins together on the spin."

Nevertheless, he can see a brighter future.

"I feel like the squad is starting to look strong," he said.

"But this summer's going to be big. Really big. We need more players. We need better quality. We need players to come into the starting eleven.

"We're not in Europe this year. We've played 40 games. We definitely need a bigger squad."

And if that happens?

"I don't think there's any ceiling on it," he said.

"We've got to be in the conversation to go and win the big trophies. Come February and March, we don't want to be adrift like we have been this year.

"Football is about memories. You can create memories by having iconic matches and scoring goals, but the bottom line is you get memories from winning big trophies."

Maguire ended an 18-month exile from the England scene last month when he featured in World Cup warm-up games against Uruguay and Japan.

It says everything about the player's form and the manner he is now viewed that the overwhelming sentiment was in Maguire's favour when Thomas Tuchel claimed the former Leicester man was currently his fifth-choice central defender.

Maguire has overcome bigger battles than that as he tries to cement a place on the plane to the United States and feels he can make a positive impact.

"I think it would be my last World Cup," he said.

"I've been to two but I missed out on the Euros two years ago through injury, which hurt a lot.

"So, I'm desperate to go, in whatever role the manager would want me for; whether that's starting or deciding games late on.

"I still think there's an important part I can play; that I can help.

"If the manager believes the same, I'm sure he will pick me."