England stars 'really believe' they can win World Cup as Harry Maguire announces draw with France

Harry Maguire insists England have gone from World Cup dreamers to believers. The England centre-back says the team's mindset has changed from the team that finished fourth in Russia four years ago and now only returning home with the trophy would do. "The one thing I would say that's very different from the 2018 squad is that I think we really believe it's possible," Maguire said.

“In 2018 we got to the semi-finals and I think a lot of guys were happy to be in the semi-finals. you and you are ranked as a hero, you would get a good reception and everyone would pat you on the back. I think now we believe that we have to win this tournament. It's a good change of mentality.

“Of course we know how difficult it is going to be. I think there are probably five or six teams with the same conviction. conviction. Now there are five or six who have that conviction and we are one of them. However, England will go to the quarter-finals on Saturday against world champions France at the Al Bayt Stadium in as an outsider.

"It's a huge game," Maguire said. “Some people say they might be the favorites to win the competition, but those are the games we play for. Those are the games you want to be in growing up. is the pressure you want. That's where we have to deliver."

Maguire was asked yesterday why he turned out to be the master card gamer who took the England squad by storm at this World Cup, seemingly able to read his team's minds. teammates at will. He smiles sadly. "To be honest, I'm pretty good at psychology," he said.

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"I needed more from last year." The soul-searching Maguire went through after losing his place at Manchester United and being pilloried over his selection for England leading the tournament was profound. Maguire's resurrection in Qatar, one of the main reasons Gareth Southgate's side have thrived, has baffled all outside expectations.

In the heat of the desert, it is as if he had pulled himself out of the deepest well. Sitting in a makeshift Bedouin tent at England's Al-Wakrah training base, three days from a World Cup quarter-final, Maguire took stock. "Last year was tough, and I didn't play as well as I did in the previous five years at the highest level, but I think in a career there's probably only Lionel Messi and Cristiano who are the only two who haven't had a career low,” he said.

"It's a 15 year career if you're lucky and there's no way, especially with all the scrutiny that's being done on defenses these days, that you're not going to I'm probably going to have another one too, but that's how you get out of it You have to stay focused and keep your self-confidence Two years ago I was in the Euros team of the tournament so I know what I'm capable of.

"I always knew I would get my form back and regain my confidence and my focus. I'm just so happy it happened on the biggest stage of the biggest tournament. To work my way through the storm of criticism and passing to the other side, he clearly has a Sheffield steel tree running through him.Even so, the Yorkshireman needed a few arms around his shoulder along the way, especially from of the one man who never lost his self-confidence, Gareth Southgate.

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