Harry Maguire is the latest name of an England national team player who was forced to be absent from the squad due to injury. Instead, coach Gareth Southgate called up two U-21 players for promotion to the senior national team.
The centre-back was withdrawn midway through the second half of England’s 1-0 loss to Brazil on Saturday and underwent testing on Sunday.
Maguire is currently not taking part in the Three Lions’ preparations for their friendly match against the Belgian National Team at Wembley, Wednesday (27/3/2024).
The 31-year-old player has been sent home to Manchester United and according to reports the results of the examination of the player’s injury are not thought to be serious. Although, there are doubts that Maguire is a doubt to feature in the upcoming Premier League match against Brentford.
Maguire’s injury will be a major blow for Erik ten Hag, with the former Leicester man only recently returning to fitness from a long injury.
He missed a number of games over the holiday period with a groin injury and then missed recent Premier League games against Manchester City and Everton.
Maguire returned to feature in the FA Cup quarter-final win over Liverpool, playing 49 minutes off the bench, but only lasted 67 minutes against Brazil before being withdrawn.
Previously, Bukayo Saka had left the England national team, who decided to return to Arsenal to undergo rehabilitation for the injury he had suffered.
After the defeat to Brazil, Gareth Southgate also revealed that captain Harry Kane will not be able to participate in the match against Belgium after sustaining an ankle injury while playing for Bayern Munich, and he has also returned to his club.
Now Kyle Walker limped off early in the first half against Brazil and reserve goalkeeper Sam Johnstone has joined Maguire in being sidelined from the England national team.
To increase the number of players, two U-21 players have been promoted to the senior squad by Southgate, namely Rico Lewis from Manchester City and Burnley goalkeeper, James Trafford.
This is Trafford’s first senior call-up, while Lewis made his debut for the Three Lions against Macedonia in November last year.
Maguire’s exclusion means Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite will make his England debut against Belgium, with Southgate expected to heavily rotate his team from the side that lost to Brazil.
