‘It was a bit of a shock’ - Rooney reacts to Maguire's exclusion from World Cup squad

Maguire, a veteran of 66 international caps, was a key figure in England's runs to the World Cup semi-finals in 2018 and the quarter-finals in 2022. 

Despite an injury that sidelined him for Euro 2024, a recall for the March friendlies had boosted the 33-year-old's chances of travelling to the World Cup tournament.

However, following Tuchel’s World Cup selection, the Manchester United defender was left out of the list.

Speaking after the release of Tuchel's World Cup squad, Rooney has expressed his shock at the omission of Maguire.

"I think the Maguire one was the big one for me, which was a bit of a shock," Rooney stated on the Wayne Rooney Podcast. "If you look at him on form, I think Harry Maguire is very unlucky not to be in it."

Rooney speculated on the manager's reasoning, suggesting it might have been a difficult conversation.

"Maybe he's [Thomas Tuchel] thinking he doesn't want to be disrespectful to Harry Maguire and take him and not play him. I don't know," he said.

"The big call out of the defenders was probably Harry or Dan Burn, and Tuchel has obviously chosen to go with Dan."

Despite his surprise, Rooney affirmed his confidence in the manager's decisions. "Even the decisions I don't like, I think I've got a trust in Tuchel and in him as a manager from everything we've seen."