NEW YORK, June 21 — Harry Maguire may have missed out on England’s World Cup squad, but the Manchester United defender has still found a way to become part of the tournament.
The 33-year-old centre-back, who was left out of Thomas Tuchel’s 26-man squad for the finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada, surprised fans in New York this week by handing out Panini World Cup stickers to children in one of the city’s busiest tourist spots.
For generations of football fans, Panini’s World Cup sticker albums have been as much a part of the tournament as the matches themselves, with millions of supporters racing to complete their collections every four years.
Instead of preparing for England’s Group G campaign, Maguire was spotted outside a Panini promotional van at Rockefeller Centre, where delighted youngsters lined up to meet the defender and collect the iconic stickers that have become a World Cup tradition.
Pues a Maguire le ha sabido mal no ir al mundial que se ha puesto a vender sobres del álbum en New Yorkpic.twitter.com/ZckMTHz72Q
The former Manchester United captain later dropped into Long Acre, a Manchester United supporters’ bar near Times Square, where he chatted with fans and answered questions during a special appearance.
Maguire travelled to New York after agreeing to appear as a guest on Gary Lineker’s The Rest is Football podcast, but it was his surprise stint with Panini that stole the spotlight.
The defender had revealed earlier this month that he learned of his World Cup omission during an awkward FaceTime call with Tuchel, ending his hopes of adding to his 66 England caps at football’s biggest tournament.
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After the squad announcement, Maguire admitted he was stunned by the decision.
“I was confident I could have played a major part this summer for my country after the season I’ve had.
“I’ve been left shocked and gutted by the decision. I’ve loved nothing more than putting that shirt on and representing my country over the years. I wish the players all the best this summer.”
England instead travelled to the tournament with John Stones, Ezri Konsa, Marc Guehi, Dan Burn and Jarell Quansah as their recognised central defenders.
