England defender Harry Maguire revealed that the team believes in the possibility of World Cup glory. On Saturday at Al Bayt Stadium, Gareth Southgate’s team will face off against the defending champions France in a decisive quarterfinal. The winner will go to the semifinals. At the point, England reached in Russia four years ago—after exceeding expectations during a historic run that concluded in an extra-time loss to Croatia—Portugal or Morocco would be waiting. By winning the European Championship last year, Southgate’s team recovered from that setback, and Maguire thinks they can advance even further in Qatar.
“The one difference between the 2018 group and this squad, in my opinion, is that we genuinely feel it is achievable. I was a player in 2018, and I believe many of the guys were pleased that we advanced to the semifinals. You were pleased to participate in the semifinals,” Harry Maguire said about the possibility of England winning the World Cup. “You are aware that no matter what transpired in the semifinal, you would be hailed a hero upon returning home, and you would receive congrats from everyone. There is, in my opinion, now a conviction that we must triumph in this competition. My thinking has changed for the better. We are aware of how difficult it will be, of course. I estimate that five or six teams have the same viewpoint. However, we most likely didn’t belong to that group of teams in 2018. We are one of the five or six people who still hold that opinion today.”
The 29-year-old defender has impressed at a tournament where many observers thought he should not be, thanks in part to mentality and belief on both a group and an individual level. At Manchester United, Maguire has had trouble finding the field and finding his form, but the England center-back has excelled in Qatar and claims his confidence never faltered.
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