HE was England’s hero in the 2018 World Cup before securing an £80million move to Manchester United a year later.
And as Harry Maguire sweats on his future ahead of Sunday’s Carabao Cup final, he might reflect he could’ve traded it all in to be an accountant – according to an old teacher.
The burly 6’4″ centre-back was a revelation at World Cup 2018 for the Three Lions but, despite an impressive showing in Qatar last year, the Old Trafford skipper is just a bit-part player under Erik ten Hag.But when he was a kid he was a numbers whizz.
Maguire, 29, attended St Mary’s Catholic High School in Chesterfield, where he excelled with his studies.
“He was a remarkable pupil who always came in and worked very hard,” Sue Cain, Deputy Headteacher at the school, told the Derbyshire Times.
“He was never in any trouble and he had such a good attitude. He did everything you asked him to do and he never questioned why. He was a popular lad.”
The brainy Man Utd centre half ended up scoring high grades in his exams, including Maths, which is where Cain believed he had a future.
“He got A* and A grades in his GCSEs,” she revealed.
“I think he would have gone on to study business or maths and probably have been an accountant.”
In the end, the Sheffield-born revelation chose football, even though he excelled at cross-country running, rugby and table tennis as a pupil.
His former PE teacher, Martin McKee said he was destined to become a footballer.
“He could really dominate a game from central midfield,” McKee divulged.
“He had an aura about him. He could dribble around everyone if he wanted to.”
Level-headed Maguire might have left school years ago, but he’s still very much part of their fabric.
He returns regularly, giving talks to the boys about his experiences and presented his former teachers with a signed shirt.
It’s the same school where his 26-year-old brother Laurence, who played as a defender for Chesterfield, attended.
Their sister, Daisy, was a pupil there too.
Proving that sport is very much in the Maguire family, their eldest son Joe, 30, used to play for Buxton FC in the Northern Premier League Premier Division.
But it’s Harry who’s earning all the plaudits and he’s had to work hard to get where he is today.
As a youngster he looked up to the likes of John Terry and Rio Ferdinand, knowing that he had to work hard on his distribution to be taken seriously in the modern game.
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He fulfilled a childhood dream by playing for Sheffield United, where he came through their youth system.
In his first full season, he helped the Blades into the playoffs as they attempted to gain promotion from League One.
A heartbreaking penalty shootout loss in the final to Huddersfield Town in 2012 dampened the spirits slightly.
But Maguire’s contribution was well-received, and he was named both their Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year during a remarkable nine months.
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For the next two years, he was crowned Player of the Year as his star continued to grow.
In 2014, Steve Bruce, recognising a decent centre half when he saw one, decided to splash £2.5m on the promising talent.
That’s where Maguire continued the trend of excelling when he was presented with tougher challenges.
In 2016, he made his Premier League debut with Hull City – becoming a regular when Marco Silva took charge.
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It was a tumultuous season for The Tigers, who in the end were relegated, but for Maguire, personally, it was another landmark.
Showing his leadership qualities, he captained the East Yorkshire side to victory against Middlesbrough in April 2017 in a 4-2 win.
He also scored his first Premier League goal – a bullet header – something that’s becoming a trademark.
Leicester City secured Maguire’s services in 2017 for £12m, potentially rising to £17m with add-ons.
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Maguire instantly became a hero on the pitch at Leicester, his heart and desire earning him the Players’ Player of the Season, as well as Fans’ Player of the Year.
His commitment to the cause – Maguire played every minute of the 2017-18 campaign – was adored by his supporters.
But Maguire took another step up when he joined Man Utd for £80m in 2019.
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Off the pitch, Maguire keeps his personal life, well, personal.
He does have the glamorous Wag in tow, the beautiful Fern Hawkins – a physiotherapy graduate – who he married last week.
The pair regularly pose for loved-up selfies on social media, but Maguire is normally one to shun the limelight and glitzy life.
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After all, we’re talking about a man who once reported for England duty with two carrier bags full of his stuff that trended on Twitter. That picture got him a rollicking from his mum.
“I’ve seen the picture on Twitter with the bags. It was just full of boots and shin pads and dirty stuff which I’ll give the kit man,” he said at the time.
“I’ll try and get some better luggage in future. My mum mentioned it. She sent me a text later on saying ‘what’s with the bags?’”
Whether or not he does go straight to Louis Vuitton and invest in a pricey kit-bag is another story. But it’s hard to imagine that his fame will turn this modest lad into a showbiz wannabe.
