Harry Maguire has admitted to FourFourTwo that his partner, Fern Hawkins, didn't enjoy the photo captured of them chatting in the stands after England's last-16 penalty shootout win against Colombia at the 2018 World Cup becoming a meme.
The image has been used in a range of different contexts, although it is generally attributed to a confident statement in which Maguire is seemingly trying to impress his partner.
Both Maguire and his England teammate Kyle Walker jumped on the meme, among thousands of others, tweeting their own satirical interpretations of what was being said. However, the Manchester United defender doesn't actually remember what was said and revealed Fern didn't enjoy the extra attention the image bought.
“Can you ask the neighbours to put the bins out on Monday? We’re not going home just yet” 🏴 pic.twitter.com/s1g3P3jj34July 8, 2018
"It became a big meme," Maguire told FourFourTwo in the latest issue, a World Cup special available to order. "I’m not even sure what we talked about. My girlfriend, now my wife, didn’t love the picture – or the angle of it. But we weren’t used to it, Fern and I.
"We kept our lives private; we weren’t used to being in the papers. It was strange for us. There was good banter between the players and the fans, though – even the media."
Yeah so a good header doesn’t hurt. I mean the moment you head it proper, you feel it’s a good one. Know what I mean love? pic.twitter.com/a5b8UqDjv2July 7, 2018
Of course, that wasn't the only meme to come out of that World Cup – 2018 was also the birth of the inflatable unicorns which have now become synonymous with Bukayo Saka from Euro 2020. For Maguire, this epitomised the squad harmony and how fan and media interactions were a much more positive affair.
"We came together, which wasn’t the case in previous tournaments, and it helped. We had funny moments on social media. The race on inflatable unicorns worked well, and not just because I won every race.
"Jesse Lingard was the closest challenger: he’d think he’d beaten me, but he couldn’t quite pull it off.
"On my day off after a game, I’d walk around town. The environment we created was really good. It was different at the Euros due to COVID, and I missed what we had at the World Cup, talking to fans and finding out about their experiences. I hope that’ll happen in Qatar."
After the same game in which the meme originated from, Maguire didn't take a penalty in the shootout against Colombia. He has since proved his ability from 12 yards ≠ most notably at Euro 2020 when he walloped his penalty into the top corner in the final against Italy – but back in 2018 he explains that his teammates didn't realise his technical proficiency from the spot.
Obviously, Eric Dier stepped up and scored the decisive kick, but Maguire put himself forward to be in the initial five and wouldn't have minded taking one himself.
"I put my name forward. I think I was next on the list after Eric Dier [who was fifth]. I was really happy when he scored and we won, but I’ve always been confident in taking penalties and I always put myself forward.
"At that moment, there were more experienced players; I was only seven or eight caps in, and I was a centre-back.
"I was up for it and other players probably thought, ‘We’re not sure just yet,’ but I took a lot of penalties when I was a young boy at Sheffield United. My record wasn’t great, admittedly, but I’ve scored six or seven on the bounce now. I am confident with penalties and that comes with experience. I’m ready to take them."
Should England need players to call upon in a penalty shootout at the Qatar World Cup, Harry Maguire will more than likely be putting his name forward.
Since the 2018 World Cup, Maguire has stepped up twice in shootouts for England, once for Manchester United and once for his previous club Leicester City, scoring every time.
