Harry Maguire blasts referee Sven Jablonski for allowing Ronald Araujo's horror tackle on Phil Foden to go unpunished during England draw

The incident occurred during a tense friendly at Wembley, where Foden was scythed down by an aggressive follow-through that left the City star clutching his ankle in significant pain. England boss Thomas Tuchel was seen expressing his fury on the touchline, directing his anger toward the fourth official. Foden was eventually replaced by Cole Palmer, sparking concerns over his fitness with the World Cup looming on the horizon.

Maguire did not hold back in his assessment of the officiating, suggesting that the leniency shown could have had dire consequences ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Describing his shock at the lack of a dismissal, the veteran centre-back told ITV: "You don't see tackles like that and not get red cards. A couple of months from the World Cup and we've got referees allowing tackles like that... It's disappointing. We have to move on and manage the game better and come away with the victory. It was a good work out there, many positives and things to work on as well."

The night was equally dramatic for Ben White, who made his long-awaited return to the national team setup. While the Arsenal man managed to find the back of the net to put the hosts ahead, he was subjected to boos from segments of the Wembley crowd. The evening ended on a sour note for the defender when VAR intervened in stoppage time to award a penalty against him for a challenge on Federico Vinas, leaving Maguire to once again question the officials. "I thought he was brilliant when he came on. I can't say anything about the defending for that one (the penalty) - if that was me in that position I'd be attempting to block the shot as well. That's what we've got to do. That's a real soft penalty," Maguire added.

Despite the refereeing controversy, Maguire’s own return to the starting XI was a major talking point. Showing the leadership that made him a staple for the previous regime, he produced a goal-saving block in the dying seconds to preserve the draw. His performance suggested he is still very much in Tuchel's plans, providing a veteran presence that remains underrated by many critics of the national side. As the Three Lions look ahead to their final warm-up fixtures, the pressure remains on fringe players to secure their seats on the plane.