Harry Maguire breaks silence on mum’s abuse fears after ‘disgraceful and unacceptable’ experience in Scotland stands
HARRY MAGUIRE has told his mum not to worry about him — because he can handle the abuse he gets.
And the Manchester United defender also thanked former England captain David Beckham for ringing to support him.
Maguire was mercilessly mocked by fans after an own goal in England’s 3-1 Hampden Park win over Scotland last month.
His mother Zoe took to Instagram to slam the abuse her son had received from some supporters and pundits as “disgraceful and totally unacceptable”.
Reflecting on the incident, Maguire, 30, said: “She was in the stands during the Scotland game and probably felt affected by it and annoyed by it.
“She’s more worried for me — but I did reiterate to her that I am all good and strong mentally and I can deal with it.
“It probably affects my family more than myself as they worry how I’m dealing with it.
“I just tell her all the time that I’m good.”
What Maguire had to put up with against Scotland was a new low in a very difficult spell for the centre-back, who has fallen down the pecking order at Old Trafford and was stripped of the captaincy by boss Erik ten Hag.
Critics question why Three Lions chief Gareth Southgate has continued to pick him, given his lack of game time.
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Southgate hit back last month, branding what he considers negativity towards one of his stalwarts as “a joke” and claiming he has “never known a player to be treated the way he is”.
Maguire has also been jeered by United and Three Lions supporters in other matches.
But he won backing from England skipper Harry Kane last month.
Kane praised Maguire, claiming the stick he gets is “unnecessary” and said his pal was being made a “scapegoat”.
He even called Maguire one of England’s best-ever defenders.
Beckham — a former England team-mate of Southgate — knows what it is like to be Public Enemy No 1 after his red card against Argentina at the 1998 World Cup.
Goldenballs was sent off for kicking out at Diego Simeone and England went on to lose on penalties.
The former United and Real Madrid star, 48, relived the incident in a new Netflix documentary about his life, called Beckham.
Maguire grew up idolising Beckham and has since watched the series after getting a surprise call from the man himself following his Hampden torment.
Speaking on England duty before the friendly at home to Australia, Maguire said: “He phoned a few days after the Scotland game.
“It was amazing to speak to him and for him to get his message across to me.
“I’ve watched his documentary and it was really inspiring.
“A lot of people are speaking about me right now.
But to see what he went through and the resilience he showed, he has been a big role model for me since I was growing up.
“It shows how classy he is to reach out to me and to message me. It was something I really appreciated.
“The main thing he did is remind me of the career I’ve had and the big moments I’ve had.
“When you’re going through tough moments you’ve got to draw on past experiences.
“Every career is so up and down, especially when you reach what I’ve reached, in terms of being the captain of the biggest club in the world for three and a half years.
“Beckham knows what it’s like.”
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