Harry Maguire didn’t make Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup roster. So he found another way to get to America.
A video started making the rounds on social media this week showing the England defender working behind a Panini sticker stand in New York City. Not as a customer. Not as a guest. He was running the table, selling sticker packs to whoever walked by.
The clip is kind of surreal. There’s Maguire, wearing a casual jacket, standing at a small booth on what looks like a busy street. People are lining up. Some are laughing. A few are recording him on their phones. He’s handing over packs of stickers like he’s been doing it his whole life.
No one from Maguire’s camp has said whether this was a PR bit or something he just felt like doing. But the internet already made up its mind. It’s iconic either way.
What happened with England
Tuchel’s squad list for the 2026 World Cup raised some eyebrows when Maguire’s name wasn’t on it. The Manchester United defender had been a regular for England under previous managers, but Tuchel opted for a different look at center back. That left Maguire at home while the rest of the squad flew out.
So instead of training for a tournament run, he ended up on a street corner in Manhattan selling collectibles. It’s the kind of career pivot that only makes sense if you stop and think about how strange pro sports can be.
Maguire has never been shy about his personality. He’s taken plenty of criticism over the years, especially during rough stretches at United. But he’s also shown he can laugh at himself. This might be the most extreme example yet.
The Panini sticker tradition is huge during World Cup years. Kids and adults alike chase rare cards and try to fill out their albums. Having an actual England international selling the packs in person is not something anyone expected to see.
The video got shared across multiple platforms. Some fans joked that Maguire was hunting for his own sticker. Others pointed out that at least he was getting paid — even if it was probably just for the bit.
Whatever the reason, it’s one of those moments that makes you remember athletes are people too. Sometimes they get left off a World Cup roster. Sometimes they end up on a street corner in New York handing out stickers to strangers.
Maguire hasn’t posted anything about the appearance yet. His agent didn’t respond to a request for comment. But the footage is out there, and it’s not going anywhere.
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