Harry Maguire says England’s chances at Euro 2024 will come down to ‘magic moments’.
The Three Lions have come painfully close to glory at recent tournaments under Gareth Southgate, reaching the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup, the final of Euro 2020 and the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup — alongside finishing third at the 2018/19 UEFA Nations League.
England can certainly count themselves unlucky, with all three of those major tournament exits coming at the hands of either the eventual winners (Italy in the Euro 2020 final) or runners-up (Croatia in 2018 and France in 2022).
However, Southgate has also been criticised for being unable to get his side over the line once they face a top-class opponent at a major tournament.
Maguire believes those defeats could have gone ‘either way’ and that tournament football is all about finding ‘magic moments’ to see you through.
“I think all three of the games we’ve lost in those tournaments could have gone either way,” Maguire told Sky Sports.
“Playing a tournament is totally different to playing league football – it’s built on moments and you’ve got to make sure you’re there within the game to let the moments take over.
“That’s where your big players come to play and produce those magic moments.
“You just need to make sure you’re there to make it and perform on the day to give yourself an opportunity to go and win.”
England going to Euros ‘to win’, says Maguire
Despite the heartbreaks, England look much improved on the international stage under Southgate, following a lean spell between 2008 and 2016 — where they failed to win a single knockout match, exited the World Cup in Brazil at the group stage with just one point and even missed out on Euro 2008 entirely.
Maguire has admitted it’s a ‘good time’ to play for the Three Lions, but that they only have the trophy on their minds in Germany this summer.
“It’s a good time to be an England player,” he added. “We feel we’re in a good moment and it’s a tournament I’m looking forward to – we’re going there to win.”