"His head is f****** massive," is the last line of the chant sung by England fans for Manchester United's Harry Maguire. That chant might be affectionately sung, but England fans' chants have never been the most creative and they're often cringeworthy.
Maguire, who has become a pantomime villain and a scapegoat, will be thankful to hear the chant regardless. It's a fact that every player would rather be lauded than mocked and Maguire is no exception.
He's insisted he doesn't pay attention to criticism, but he held his hands to his ears after scoring for England last year in a response to his critics before receiving a red card in his next appearance for United, which came in a heavy 4-1 defeat against Watford.
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After the worst season of his career, the centre-back was forced to deal with intense scrutiny, which was fair considering his dire performances, but he was also regularly subject to vitriolic comments on social media, with supporters viewing him as a symbol of decline at Old Trafford.
It has become stylish to dislike Maguire and social media would have you believe he was completely incapable. Maguire might be a limited footballer, but he captains Manchester United and he's made 50 caps for England, which is more than bedroom trolls could achieve in 10 lifetimes. Maguire was not good enough last season, yes, but a single campaign does not define him.
Erik ten Hag has dropped Maguire in favour of Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane, while he's started Victor Lindelof in the absence of the latter, and that pecking order, which makes the club captain fourth-choice, seems fair on the balance of form.
Maguire started in defeats against Brighton and Brentford at the start of the season and he lost his place after that sobering start. He can have no complaints about being demoted in the pecking order and he's now got the challenge of fighting to play.
The 29-year-old has made just three starts in the Premier League this season and fewer minutes means less exposure. That has meant there have been fewer opportunities for the player to be criticised and fewer chances for that to spill into venom.
Maguire hasn't consistently played this season and he's performed well when he has, but the widespread narrative surrounding him, which seems to suggest he's the worst player since the conception of the game, has remained strong, rather bizarrely.
The narrative around Maguire has reached supporters from every Premier League club and it's also reached England fans, who booed him at Wembley last season. United fans don't resonate with England like other supporters and the mutinous booing of Maguire only emphasised that disconnect. Gareth Southgate was furious with the booing and he called it 'an absolute joke'.
Maguire received a mixed reception in Australia during the summer's pre-season tour, but match-going United supporters have never stooped to booing him at Old Trafford, despite having their justified gripes and frustrations with his limitations.
The player is obviously flawed, like most, and the fair criticism of his performances is justified, but millions of fans in England making Maguire a pantomime villain has been strange, especially when he's played his best football for his country.
United fans have seen Maguire at his worst and England fans have seen him at his best. Maguire has reserved his strongest form for England and yet the narrative, which rejects his credentials as a player, has remained among a section of England supporters.
Maguire was outstanding at the 2018 World Cup in Russia and he was named in the Team of the Tournament at Euro 2020. His performances for England have been colossal and that's why Southgate has shown him unwavering loyalty.
Southgate has started Maguire against Iran and the United States of America in England's two fixtures at the World Cup and the player has vindicated that faith, which has appeared to be blind loyalty at times, with his excellent performances.
Maguire was England's best player against America, he was aerially imperious and resolute at the back. It was the type of performance that led to the tedious question: why does he play like that for England and not for his club, Manchester United?
That debate seems set to hopelessly rage on, but the debate about his ability should now be in the end cycle. Maguire has shown he's an excellent defender with a certain set of circumstances and that's exactly who he is, a limited player who can be so much more in the right team. Maguire has struggled to play for United but that does not make him a categorically bad player.
There is no room for nuance on social media in 2022, but it's actually OK to praise Maguire's brilliant performances for England while still holding the opinion he's a limited centre-back at Old Trafford. It doesn't always have to be black and white.
Sheffield-born Maguire once said the Yorkshire contingent in the England team 'aren't the most talented', but he joked that 'they're really hard' and that's an appropriate, self-deprecating description of himself and his display against the USA.
Maguire won't stop running for England, but hopefully, the narrative around him has become exhausted.
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