Harry Maguire
English Footballer
Harry Maguire is an English footballer who plays as a central defender for Manchester United.
Harry Maguire
• Date of birth: 5 March 1993
• Age: 29 years old
• Place of birth: Sheffield, England
• Nationality: English
• Position: Central defender
• Height: 194cm / 6ft 4ins
• Weight: 79kg / 174 lbs
• Wages: Around £190,000 per week (Reported)
• Instagram: @harrymaguire93
• Twitter: @HarryMaguire93
The 29-year-old defender started his senior career at Sheffield United and then earned a move to Hull City.
After spending a season on loan to Wigan Athletic, Maguire left Hull City to sign for Leicester City in the summer of 2017.
Maguire then earned a big-money transfer to Manchester United from Leicester in the summer of 2019.
The defender was named as the new Manchester United captain by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in January 2020.
After having represented his country at various youth levels, Maguire made his senior international debut for England in 2017 and scored his first goal for the Three Lions in 2018.
So, what do we know about Maguire’s journey to becoming the solid defender he is today? This is his story.
Early Life, Parents And Upbringing
Harry Maguire (full name: Jacob Harry Maguire) was born on 5 March 1993 in Sheffield, England.
Harry has two brothers, Joe and Laurence, and a sister, Daisy. He and his three siblings were brought up in the village of Mosborough in South Yorkshire.
He attended Immaculate Conception Primary School in Spinkhill and St Mary’s Roman Catholic High School in Chesterfield.
Harry Maguire (Photo: BT Sport / Screengrab)
Early Career
Maguire joined local side Brunsmeer Athletic when he was around seven years old and the defender looks back at his time with the team fondly.
“I joined a team when I was like seven: Brunsmeer Athletic in Sheffield. It was a great time for me, an enjoyable time,” Maguire said in an interview in 2021.
“The main thing for me when I was a young boy was to make sure that I enjoyed the game, enjoyed the training sessions, enjoyed the tournaments that I played in, and I played with a big smile on my face. I certainly did that, and Brunsmeer enabled me to do that.
“I think that’s the moment that I fell in love with the game.”
Maguire then went on to join Sheffield United’s youth set-up and quickly progressed through the ranks at the club. He played mainly as a central midfielder for Sheffield United’s academy teams.
After impressing his way through the ranks at Sheffield United, he made his first-team debut for the Blades in 2011, when he came on as a half-time substitute in a 2-0 home loss against Cardiff City on 12 April 2011. He was 18 years old at the time.
Maguire went on to establish himself as a regular fixture in the Sheffield United first team, scoring 12 goals in 166 games in all competitions across four seasons.
He then joined Hull City in June 2014, and he made 75 appearances for the club before he was on the move again in the summer of 2017.
Harry Maguire (Photo: BBC Sport / YouTube / Screengrab)
Leicester City
Maguire’s impressive performances for Sheffield United and Hull City had not gone unnoticed, and he ended up signing for Premier League side Leicester City in the summer of 2017. The transfer fee was reported to be around £17m.
Maguire said upon signing for the Foxes: “There were a number of clubs interested, but when I met the manager [Craig Shakespeare] here, he pretty much swayed it into the direction of this club. He showed me the way that the club is going. It’s on the up and it looks very promising for the future, so credit to the gaffer.
“You can see that with the structure of the club, it’s going to look upwards rather than down so that was a big reason why, as soon as I knew there was an interest, I wanted to jump at the opportunity.”
Maguire made his first-team debut for Leicester City on 11 August 2017 in a 4-3 defeat away at Arsenal.
He went on to score five goals in 76 games in all competitions for the Foxes before a move to Manchester United beckoned.
Manchester United
Maguire secured a transfer to Manchester United from Leicester City in the summer of 2019, with the Red Devils reported to have shelled out a transfer fee of around £80m, which was a world-record for a defender at the time.
He signed an initial six-year contract with the Red Devils, with his transfer to Old Trafford having been officially confirmed on 5 August 2019.
“When Manchester United come knocking on your door, it is an incredible opportunity,” said Maguire after signing for Manchester United. “From my conversations with the manager [Ole Gunnar Solskjaer], I am excited about the vision and plans he has for the team.
Harry Maguire (Photo: The Overlap / YouTube / Screengrab)
“It’s clear to see that Ole is building a team to win trophies. I am now looking forward to meeting my new team-mates and getting the season started.”
Maguire made his first-team debut for Manchester United in a 4-0 home Premier League victory against Chelsea FC on 11 August 2019.
He was appointed as the club’s new captain in January 2020 after Ashley Young’s departure to Inter Milan.
Maguire scored his first goal for Manchester United in a 6-0 victory over Tranmere Rovers in the FA Cup fourth round nine days later.
International Career
Maguire represented England at Under-21 level and made his senior debut for the national side in a 1–0 away win over Lithuania in a World Cup qualifying match on 8 October 2017.
He scored his first England goal on 7 July 2018 at the World Cup, netting a first-half header from Ashley Young’s cross in a 2–0 win over Sweden in the quarter-finals.
Maguire scored one goal in five appearances for England at Euro 2020, held in the summer of 2021, to help Gareth Southgate’s men reach the final, where they lost on penalties to Italy.
Harry Maguire (Photo: ITV Sport / YouTube / Screengrab)
Life Away From The Pitch
Maguire is engaged to Fern Hawkins. The couple have two children together.
What Have Others Said?
Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, speaking after the Red Devils completed a deal to sign Harry Maguire in August 2019: “Harry is one of the best centre-backs in the game today.
“He is a great reader of the game and has a strong presence on the pitch, with the ability to remain calm under pressure. He will fit well into this group both on and off the pitch.”
Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand discussing Harry Maguire’s captaincy at the club, speaking in December 2021: “The fact that he has had the armband has given him that grace. Which it would do. I think he was given it too early. It’s a hard enough job coming into Manchester United, getting your feet under the table and stating to feel comfortable as it as without the added pressure of being captain.
“Being captain is a massive responsibility, there is history that goes with it, a big weight on your shoulders. You need to experience being there for a period of time to carry that weight. It was more important for Maguire to come in and concentrate on becoming a Manchester United mainstay than being captain.”
