Harry Maguire's treatment by England fans who booed him at Wembley is a national embarrassment.
At the Euro 2020 final – where, incidentally, he took the best penalty of the lot in the shoot-out – his father suffered suspected broken ribs in stampede caused by ticketless fans. And in a different way, his reception before kick-off against the Ivory Coast was just as shocking.
Can anyone explain to me: why was he booed? Show me the games where Maguire has let England down. Show me the mistakes he has made which have cost Gareth Southgate's side goals, or led to their elimination from major tournaments. Show me examples where his attitude or commitment has dipped below 100 per cent when he pulls on the England shirt.
On second thoughts, don't bother – because there aren't any. Maguire's pathway to the top should give every schoolboy hope of fulfilling his dream. He didn't just get parachuted into Old Trafford as Manchester United captain – he worked hard for it at Sheffield United, Hull and Leicester.
He didn't set his £80 million transfer fee. United paid the going rate. Yes, he's had a mixed season at club level. But he isn't the only player whose form has suffered at United. I don't know whether the burden of captaincy has affected him, and Manchester United is a global institution where the spotlight is incessant.
But whenever I've seen him play for England, Maguire has been top-class and the 'fans' who booed him on Tuesday night clearly haven't got a clue of the damage they could inflict on him mentally. I know what it's like to be booed by your own fans. I was captain of the Derby side relegated from the Premier League with a record low of 11 points in 2008, and we were serenaded by chants of “You're not fit to wear the shirt.”
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Footballers are not actors. We have egos, just like everyone else in other walks of life, and you can't live behind a mask. It's not as simple as putting on a brave face and getting on with it. It hurts, it cuts deep, it tears at your soul. You feel embarrassed to show your face in public. When you're filling your car with petrol, or in the supermarket, or having a quiet meal out, you don't want to make eye contact with strangers.
Cuts, bruises and broken bones heal with time, but it's not easy to put a timescale on your recovery when you feel your reputation has been damaged. Maguire is not the first England player to be booed at Wembley – John Barnes and Ashley Cole spring to mind – but that doesn't make it right.
It seems there is still a tribal element to it, but when you go to watch England, club prejudices should be left at the door. To hear Maguire being booed, considering what he has achieved for England (a World Cup semi-final in 2018 and the Euro 2020 final last summer) is a disgrace. Instead of being the whipping boy, he should be the yardstick for everyone who wants to play for England.
At Manchester United, I know Maguire is a good role model off the pitch and the younger players look up to him. What a shame he is treated so shabbily by people who will be two-faced enough to celebrate if he scores the winner for England in a World Cup tie in Qatar later this year.
