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Only a handful of people rise through the ranks in football and become captains of some of the biggest clubs in the world, particularly Manchester United. 

But there is a rare class of people who fight to play at the top level, become club captains, and later get their captaincy stripped from them.

This is the story of Harry Maguire, former Manchester United captain, who grew up in Sheffield, moved up the football ladder in England, became Manchester United’s captain, got ridiculed, and is now rewriting his redemption story. 

This is the story of a man who walked dreamily into the “Theatre of Dreams”, saw those dreams turn into nightmares, but stood on business, rebuilding his career brick by brick.

Harry Maguire’s Early Football Journey

Jacob Harry Maguire, born on the 5th of March 1993, started playing football with his brother outside their home in Sheffield. 

At age six, he played for Brunsmeer, where his dad was the manager. He joined Barnsley at 8, where he played for a few years before joining Sheffield United.

Harry Maguire at his boyhood club

He began his youth career at Sheffield United, where he trained with the academy and progressed slowly through the ranks. In April 2011, he made his senior debut in a 2-0 win over Cardiff. 

At Sheffield United, Harry Maguire made 166 appearances, scoring a total of 12 goals. 

“I was a young boy coming through and I had great faith and confidence given to me by the manager.”

He won the club’s Player of the Year award for three consecutive seasons (2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14) and was named in the PFA League One Team of the Year multiple times.

Harry Maguire celebrating a goal for Sheffield United

In football, a few good seasons usually earn you a move to a bigger club, and Maguire’s brilliance earned him a move to Championship Club Hull City in 2014 for around £2.5m. 

Becoming a Youth Sensation

Maguire spent three seasons at Hull City. In the 2014-15 season, he spent time on loan with Wigan Athletic. By the 2016-17 season, when Hull City gained promotion back to the Premier League, Maguire had become a key player for the club. 

In that season, Hull City struggled, eventually finishing 18th in the Premier League table and suffering relegation to the Championship. Still, Harry Maguire stood out for his defensive solidity and ball-carrying ability. 

He captained the side to a 4-2 win over Middlesbrough, where he scored his first Premier League goal.

Harry Maguire celebrating a goal for Hull City

His performances in the 2016/17 season caught the eye of many Premier League clubs, and once again, Maguire was on the move. 

In June 2017, Maguire secured a move to Leicester City on a five-year contract for an initial fee of £12m, potentially rising to £17m with add-ons.

Leicester City’s Superstar

With Hull City going down to the Championship, Maguire made the switch to Leicester City. 

He debuted in Leicester’s 4-3 loss to Arsenal, and eight days later, he was on the scoresheet as Leicester secured a 2-0 win over Brighton and Hove Albion. 

Maguire played every minute of the 2017/18 season, eventually winning the club’s Player of the Season and Players’ Player of the Season award.

Harry Maguire clapping for Leicester City fans after a game

At this point, the rumour mill was already buzzing with whispers about the big clubs sniffing around the Leicester City defender. But first, it was time to get a closer look at Maguire on the international stage.

Representing England at the World Cup

Harry Maguire’s brilliance that season earned him a call-up to the England squad by former England manager Gareth Southgate. 

Maguire made his England debut against Lithuania in the 2018 World Cup Qualification campaign. He also made the squad for the 2018 World Cup. 

This was the peak. From the paved streets of Sheffield to the world’s biggest stage, Harry Maguire had arrived. 

During the 2018 World Cup, Maguire’s performances captured the attention of top clubs around the world. 

In England’s World Cup opener against Tunisia, Maguire provided the assist for Harry Kane’s goal to secure a 2-1 win. 

And then came the big moment. 

In the game against Sweden, Harry Maguire rose highest to head in a cross to give England the win at the World Cup. The sheer expression of joy on his face as he raced to celebrate told the whole story—Maguire was living the dream. 

Harry Maguire celebrating after scoring his debut goal for England

England’s campaign crumbled in the Semis against Croatia. Despite Maguire barely putting a foot wrong in that game, Croatia presented a different level of savviness and tenacity that outfoxed the Three Lions in extra time.

After losing the 3rd-place game to Belgium, England finished fourth in the 2018 World Cup and bowed out sorrowfully but with massive hope for the future. 

 For Maguire, his journey to stardom had entered a new gear.

Moving to The Theatre of Dreams

After the World Cup, it was clear that Harry Maguire was going into his final season at Leicester City.

Manchester United were now openly trying to sign the lad who would lock down England’s defense for the next decade—the Sheffield Rio Ferdinand.

In August 2019, after spending two seasons at Leicester, Maguire completed a blockbuster move to Manchester United for a record fee of £80 million. 

With this transfer, he became the world’s most expensive defender, and with that kind of money, playing at a club like Manchester United, eyes were surely going to be on him.

But he delivered.

Maguire’s first two seasons were everything a player could’ve hoped for. On his debut, Manchester United thumped Chelsea 4-0 in the opening game of the season, and he won the Man of the Match award. 

After six months, he was named club captain by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. 

Harry Maguire clapping for the fans at Old Trafford after a game

Pressure? What pressure?

Standing at 6ft 4, Maguire rose to the occasion. 

He had already captained United on 12 previous occasions, but now, he was the team’s designated captain. 

To crown his appointment, Maguire scored his first goal for the Red Devils in a 6-0 FA Cup win over Tranmere Rovers. In February 2020, he scored his first Premier League goal for United in a 2-0 win against Chelsea. 

By the end of the 2019/20 season, Maguire became the first outfield player since 1995 to play every minute of a Premier League campaign for Manchester United.

The only way was up.

Just when Harry Maguire started putting up his shoulders as the new Manchester United captain, the gods decided to knock him down to earth.

During a trip to Mykonos, he got into an altercation with a police officer, which led to his arrest. Unconfirmed eye-witness reports mentioned his saying, “Do you know I am the captain of Manchester United?” to the officer. 

Harry Maguire arrested by the police in Mykonos

This was bad. The British press would never pass up the opportunity to crush like a bug any player whom they helped place on a pedestal. 

The hammer came down hard on Harry Maguire. He became a “disgrace,” and many other negative descriptors flew around the headlines and tabloids.

Harry Maguire pictured in the newspaper in a Greek bar

Harry Maguire’s reputation and confidence were now at rock bottom. Again, the only way was up, but this time, like the god Atlas, the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

In the 2020/21 season, Maguire equalled Gary Pallister’s record for the most league games played without being substituted. He played 90 minutes for 71 consecutive games but couldn’t break the record as he suffered an ankle injury in a 3-1 win over Aston Villa. 

The injury would also see him miss the 2021 Europa League Final, which Manchester United lost on penalties.

The Descent into Red Hell

If Manchester United was the graveyard of talent, Maguire was about to enter the 8th ring of hell. 

Taking a cue from the famous words of Erik ten Hag, “eras come to an end”. Maguire’s honeymoon at Manchester United didn’t last long. 

Following his return from injury, Maguire partnered with Raphael Varane in defence at the early stages of the 2021/22 season.

However, his form dipped and he became a liability to the team. Matches like the 5-0 loss to Liverpool in October, a 4-1 loss to City, and another 4-0 loss to Liverpool in April exposed his vulnerabilities. 

And then came the memes. The “aspire to Maguire” quotes. The team was hurting, and Maguire was the one who bore the brunt of the whole situation. 

Every misplaced pass or failed aerial duel became the main talking point on the internet. Former United players tore into him, and many asked for him to leave. The internet abuse escalated to bomb threats. 

Opposing fans piled on with the ridicule. Home fans added insult to injury with undiluted vitriol. The toxicity in the atmosphere was only second to that of Chernobyl. 

And Maguire bore the full brunt of the fallout. His performances dipped. Lower league players openly promised to score against him and followed through on this promise.

Somehow, he managed to fan the flames into an inferno when he cupped his ears after scoring that goal against Albania. 

Harry Maguire celebrating after scoring a goal against Albania

Even his sympathizers frowned on that celebration. Maguire has the right to express himself on the pitch, but definitely not when the entire country was openly questioning his inclusion in the England setup.

Anyone else sick of the Maguire jokes?
byu/Saviorofmypeople inPremierLeague

Despite the torrent of hate and abuse disguised as banter, he still found favour in the eyes of Gareth Southgate as he made the squad for Euro 2020. 

Harry Maguire at Euro 2020 (2021)

The COVID-19 disruption pushed the 2020 Euros into 2021. So to accommodate the restrictions, the tournament had to take place in England. 

With that home advantage, expectations were high for the Three Lions. 

After stumbling through the easier part of the draw with lackluster performances, England finally made it to a major final—this time on home soil.

But on the big night—in typical England fashion—Harry and the lads lost to Italy on penalties at Wembley Stadium.

This one hurt. This could have been the redemption arc for Harry Maguire and the crowning moment for that generation. 

Although Maguire’s performances during the Euros earned him a place in the Team of the Tournament, it wasn’t enough to save him from the public ridicule he received anytime he donned the Manchester United shirt.

In the 2022/23 season, Maguire was demoted in the pecking order as the new manager Erik ten Hag preferred the defensive duo of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez. By the end of that season, Maguire had made just sixteen starts across all competitions. 

But the worst was yet to come. 

Harry Maguire Loses The Captaincy

In the summer of 2023, Erik ten Hag stripped Harry Maguire of the captaincy and named Bruno Fernandes as the new captain.

Finally, the race to the depths of hell had reached the 9th level. This was rock bottom; this was career homicide.

In the weeks that followed, Maguire was linked with a move to West Ham. His time at United seemed done, or so we thought. 

The move to West Ham eventually fell through as Maguire opined that he wanted to fight for his place at Manchester United, and boy, did he fight. 

The Road to Redemption

Maguire kept it simple. No talking on social media or in the press; the only place to talk was on the field. The English defender kept training, and when he was called upon, he showed out.

Injuries to Varane and Martinez helped his case. Not long into the season, Maguire replaced Varane in the starting 11, although he wasn’t an automatic first-choice option. 

With a consistent run of games in the United shirt, Maguire began to show the qualities that once endeared him to the faithful at Old Trafford—and fans were loving it. 

In United’s 2-1 comeback win over Brentford in October 2023, Maguire provided the assist for McTominay’s late goal. 

Later that month, Maguire scored the only goal in United’s 1-0 win against Copenhagen. Maguire also won the Premier League Player of the Month award for November after playing a key role in the three clean sheets United kept that month. 

Even in the deepest rings of hell, a flicker could feel like the sun. But this was more than a flicker—the fire was back on! 

Harry Maguire holding a player of the month trophy

Although he missed the FA Cup final victory over Manchester City and was omitted from England’s Euro 2024 squad due to a calf injury, Maguire made 31 appearances in the 2023/24 season and proved that he could be a reliable option at the back. 

But Ten Hag wasn’t completely sold on the idea.

With Varane leaving the club and Martinez constantly injured, Ten Hag brought in De Ligt and Yoro to lead United defensively, and this cast more doubts on Maguire’s future.

Amorim Arrives, Everything Changes

After a poor start to the season, the hierarchy at Manchester United decided that it was time to part ways with Erik Ten Hag. 

Ruben Amorim took over as the new head coach, bringing a breath of fresh air to the club and ultimately, Maguire’s career. 

As the records always show, the new manager bounce always kicks in and revives careers in professional limbo.

Maguire was not going to miss the chance. With the trust of the gaffer, he started playing in a back-three formation, where he thrived. 

Maguire became a regular for United, and he showed his class.

He starred in the 2-2 draw against Liverpool at Anfield and the FA Cup win over Arsenal, where he won 100% of his aerial duels and made 11 clearances.

In the 2-1 win against Manchester City in December, fans were full of praise for the Englishman. 

The same tongues that cursed him whenever he misplaced a pass now praised him and commended his resilience to bounce back from ground zero.

After the derby, Amorim hailed Maguire, stating that he is perfect in the middle when he plays with three defenders. 

Crowning Moments of the Redemption Arc

Maguire’s redemption arc reached its peak in what was the greatest Europa League game of the 2024/25 season. 

Manchester United were on the brink of a comeback against Lyon after scoring in the 120th minute to tie the game at 6-6 (aggregate score). 

Old Trafford was in a state of shock. They were ahead at first, went behind, and now, they were whiskers away from a penalty shootout. 

Just like on select occasions, Maguire moved up the pitch as a centre-forward, but this time, he pulled off a miracle. 

With seconds to spare, Casemiro flung a cross into the box, and the next events couldn’t be explained; you just had to experience it. Towering above his marker, “slabhead” Maguire headed the ball into the net to give Manchester United the lead. 

Old Trafford erupted. 

The stadium was in a frenzy: Harry Maguire had done the impossible. United were headed to the semifinals. 

As Maguire screamed in joy in front of the fans, who were going delirious with sheer ecstasy, my mind quickly flashed back to all he had been through to get to this point.

In that moment, the redemption arc was complete. Maguire became United’s hero. From reject to saviour, from a joke to an icon. Social media roared at Maguire’s genius as his praise was sung all over the timeline. 

But Maguire didn’t stop there. 

In Manchester United’s 3-0 win over Athletic Bilbao, he had another iconic moment, the “Harrydinho” moment, where he twisted and turned past his marker before delivering a pinpoint cross into the box after finding himself on the wing.

Amorim hasn’t failed to heap praise on the rejuvenated defender. The manager has also pushed the club to trigger a one-year extension on the defender’s contract, meaning Maguire will be at the club till June 2026, and who knows, maybe his best years are still ahead. 

Maguire is now enjoying his football after years of struggling with inconsistency and a lack of game time. Now, he plays in a back-three that covers his lack of agility and recovery speed, allowing him to dominate in the air, spray passes, and break up play. 

Harry Maguire has found his confidence, and it’s just beautiful to see. We all love a redemption story, and I would love to see where the next chapter of the Maguire story leads.

Whichever turn his career takes from now, Harry Maguire will go down as one of the few footballers who saw hell and came out with their head held high.

Who wrote this?

wisdomaghe@gmail.com

Wisdom Aghe is a creative whose passions include sports, video editing, writing and a little bit of design. With these skills and a curious mind, Wisdom takes interest in creating sports content and holding interesting sports conversations. He loves sports and it's his happy place. He spends his leisure time playing football, playing games and reading.

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Wisdom Aghe
Wisdom Aghe is a creative whose passions include sports, video editing, writing and a little bit of design. With these skills and a curious mind, Wisdom takes interest in creating sports content and holding interesting sports conversations. He loves sports and it's his happy place. He spends his leisure time playing football, playing games and reading.

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1 Comment

  1. Wow.

    I love the fact that this article is quite detailed, covering certain aspects I never knew about Maguire as a football fan.

    I love the storytelling angle as well.

    Reply

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