HARRY MAGUIRE has taken the route from the Football League to the brink of the World Cup… And he is certainly not the only one.
Incredibly, of the 27-man squad named by Gareth Southgate for the friendlies with Holland and Italy, 15 of them started at English clubs outside the Premier League.
And Eric Dier began his football journey with Sporting Lisbon.
The only player other than Spurs defender Dier to have not appeared in the Football League is Marcus Rashford.
Defender Maguire started his career at Sheffield United before moving to Hull for £2.5million.
Following a £17m switch move to Leicester, Maguire has established himself as a certainly to be in the squad for the World Cup in Russia.
Two of the squad’s new arrivals, Nick Pope and Alfie Mawson, were both playing non-League football four seasons ago at Aldershot and Welling respectively.
And famously, Magure’s Leicester team-mate Jamie Vardy played for Stockbridge Park Steels before moving to Fleetwood.
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Maguire, 25, said: “The way people come through is different for everybody. Look at Nick Pope.
“Jamie Vardy and myself have come through similarly in terms of playing in the lower leagues. One thing for certain is that when you play in the lower leagues, you certainly get experience of playing games week in, week out, which is really big, especially as a young boy.
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“You see a lot of players in the Premier League who are very talented young boys but they don’t really play or break into first teams until 21 or 22 years old.
“So playing in the lower Leagues is a big help in terms of playing week in, week out – by the age of 20 I had played around 160 games, which is quite a lot of a boy that age. You see some players who might have not got a chance by then. Getting the experience and learning your game by playing is the best way to learn. It helps in that regard.
“I have always been really hungry to play at the top level, even when I was playing in League One. My aim and ambition was to play at the top and I am sure it was the same for everybody else. Everybody dreams of playing in the Premier League and obviously playing for your country is the pinnacle for everyone. It has happened to me and hopefully I can continue that.”
Maguire claims his toughest opponent is Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero.
But asked about his early tests in the Football League, Maguire added: “It is strange when you are young. I was playing in League One and I used to analyse my opponents a lot. Every week, I used to think, ‘I have got another big test here’. I can remember playing against Gary Madine when he was at Sheffield Wednesday and I was at Sheffield United (Oct 2011).
“He was always a big handful – a good player. Then I thought he was a top player and he was going to be hard to mark. But then, like you said, I have progressed up the leagues and you come up against players who have played at the top level for years. Now it is Holland and Italy – it doesn’t get any easier!”
Maguire now accepts he is getting close to appearing at the World Cup.
He said: “Every time you do get selected for the squad, you start thinking that you are edging a tiny bit closer. There is no doubt about it. It is every lads’ dream growing up, to play in the World Cup for their country.
Certainly it was mine. But the only thing I can do is perform when I am here and week in, week out for Leicester. If I keep doing that, I will give myself the best chance I can and I will see where it takes me.”
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