Harry Maguire says his self-belief never wavered amid poor performances and widespread criticism, although the England defender admits his lack of game time had him a little concerned over his World Cup place.

Harry Maguire says his self-belief never wavered amid poor performances and widespread criticism, although the England defender admits his lack of game time had him a little concerned over his World Cup place.
Last year the 29-year-old bounced back from an ankle injury to star during the run to the Euro 2020 final, earning himself a place in the team of the tournament.
But things have gone awry since then, with a wretched season for all involved with Manchester United followed by the captain enduring a challenging start to the current campaign.
Dropped after Erik ten Hag lost his first two matches in charge, the centre-back has only made seven more club appearances &ndash; a period that also saw him laid low by injury.
Those struggles led to questions over Maguire's place in the World Cup squad and the defender admits there was a part of him, however small, that was concerned he would not make Gareth Southgate's selection.
"Obviously being picked for your country is a huge privilege," he said ahead of winning his 50th cap in Friday's World Cup group game against the United States.
"It's the pinnacle of anybody's footballing career to play at major tournaments for your country, World Cups especially. It's the biggest tournament in the world.
"Obviously you have fear of (not) being in a squad, but I had great belief over what I have done over the 49 caps I've played for England that I've earned the trust to be in the squad and be available for the team and the selection."
Maguire was thrust straight into the starting line-up for Monday's World Cup opener against Iran, whose fans had brought a few signs goading the oft-abused defender.
There can be few players that receive more relentless criticism than the world's most expensive defender, but he appears adept at brushing it aside.
Asked whether he doubts himself given the harsh background noise, Maguire said: "No, I have great belief in myself.
"I go out on the training pitch, I work as hard as possible. I give my all, I give my best and that gives you good preparation to go into a game and perform to the best level.
"I went into the Euros on the back of an eight to 10 week injury, so I wasn't too worried about the lack of game time.
"Obviously I want to be playing every week for my club. It's something that I'm going to fight to get back into the team.
"So, it's not what and where I wanted to be but of course I feel fresh.
"I've worked hard, I've worked doing extras on the training pitch to make sure I'm ready when I get the opportunity to play.
"I knew the World Cup was coming up, so I always put on the extra shifts in training, like I said, and kept myself ticking over."
Maguire is away with England at a fascinating time for United, with the Glazer family announcing on Tuesday they were willing to sell just hours after Cristiano Ronaldo's contract was mutually terminated.
The skipper says he has found it easy to focus on national team matters despite there being "a lot of talk going off around the club", and interestingly used his now former team-mate as an example for coping with flak.
"Of course as a footballer nobody likes being criticised, but I think it's part and parcel of the game," said Maguire, who feels fine after being substituted against Iran as he was feeling unwell.
"I've played with Cristiano Ronaldo for the last couple of years and he's one of the greatest players ever to kick a football and he gets criticised day in, day out.
"So, if it's going to happen to him and the position I'm in, I think it's part and parcel of the game, especially the position that I'm in playing for Manchester United and the captain of Manchester United.
"With Cristiano playing and me being around him over the last couple of years, he's the greatest player, for me, to ever kick a football and he gets criticised daily so it's going to happen to each and every one of us.
"So, it's part and parcel of the game. It's something that you've got to go into training, do your best and that's what I always tell myself. Just go in and do your best and that's only what you can do."

Harry Maguire insists confidence has not been knocked by poor performances

Switzerland reached the last 16 at the World Cup after edging a heated 3-2 contest with Serbia.

Switzerland booked their trip to the last 16 at the World Cup after edging a heated 3-2 contest with Serbia at Stadium 974.
Xherdan Shaqiri opened the scoring in a fiery end-to-end first half before Aleksandar Mitrovic levelled six minutes later.
Dusan Vlahovic handed Serbia their first lead after 35 minutes but saw it cancelled out by Breel Embolo who sent the sides level into the break.
It took Remo Freuler just three minutes to net the eventual winner after the restart and – despite chances for both sides – ensured Switzerland sealed second spot in Group G.
Switzerland edged the 2018 group-stage encounter between the two sides when Granit Xhaka cancelled out Mitrovic's opener and Shaqiri fired in a last-gasp winner.
Both men were back in Murat Yakin's starting XI for Switzerland, who got off to an electric start with two good attempts inside the first 25 seconds, Vanja Milinkovic-Savic saving a close-range effort from Embolo before Xhaka failed to bury the rebound.
Serbia won the first corner but Nikola Milenkovic nodded off target. Soon after, Dusan Tadic found Andrija Zivkovic in space who tried to pull his side ahead after 10 minutes but his powerful strike from distance instead thumped off the left post and at the feet of Mitrovic, who saw his attempt gathered by Gregor Kobel.
It took 90 minutes for Shaqiri to find the back of the next in 2018 – this time it took just 20, beginning with Ricardo Rodriguez's drive into the area from the left.
Strahinja Pavlovic was there to block the swerving cross but failed to clear, instead directing the ball to Djibril Sow. The Eintracht Frankfurt midfielder teed up Shaqiri, who sent a left-footed strike into the bottom-right corner.
It took just six minutes for Serbia to respond. Tadic floated in a cross from outside the area, perfectly timing it to meet Mitrovic and the Fulham striker, on the run, drew things level with a fine header into the top corner.
Shaqiri nearly pulled Switzerland ahead but it was Serbia who took the lead when Freuler gave away the ball near the penalty spot and Vlahovic pounced, firing past the far post with a leaping left-footed strike.
It was all square by the break, however, when Silvan Widmer sent a low cross across the face of goal for a sliding Embolo to finish from inside the six-yard box.
Switzerland restored the lead inside three second-half minutes. A patient passing sequence ended in a brilliant move by Ruben Vargas, who issued a perfect backheel for Freuler, who sent a powerful strike into the bottom corner.
Serbia were spared falling further behind by the offside flag but missed a good chance to level when Kobel did well to read Filip Kostic's attempt from the left.
Tensions rose after Mitrovic appealed for a penalty after claiming he had been pulled down by Fabian Schar. The referee did not agree, his decision provoking substitutes to spill onto the pitch for a brief tussle.
Several would come on in hopes of shifting momentum, but with the end in sight, the Swiss soon shifted to shut-down mode, surviving seven minutes of stoppage time – including another heated disagreement between the two sides – to book their trip to the knockout rounds.

Switzerland reach last 16 after victory over Serbia

Cameroon captain Vincent Aboubakar scored a memorable late winner against Brazil.

Cameroon captain Vincent Aboubakar scored a memorable late winner against Brazil and was then dismissed for whipping his shirt off in celebration – but his goal could not prevent their World Cup exit.
On what could have been an even greater night for the African side, another shock result this time did not have the desired outcome as Switzerland's win over Serbia made Cameroon's progress impossible, irrespective of the 1-0 victory at the Lusail Stadium.
For a brief period Aboubakar's superb header in the third minute of added time had Cameroon believing in the impossible and federation president Samuel Eto'o frantically checking his phone in the VIP section for news from Stadium 974.
Aboubakar was shown a second yellow card for removing his shirt and when when the whistle sounded on Cameroon's first World Cup win in 20 years they did not have long to wait to discover their fate. Their joy was dampened after learning Serbia had not forced an equaliser.
Already-qualified Brazil had the luxury of making nine changes, including bringing in the 39-year-old Dani Alves to become his country's oldest World Cup player, but their under-strength team never fulfilled expectations.
One of those new faces Gabriel Martinelli provided the bright spark of a first half relatively low on chances with his powerful, twisting header from Fred's cross turned over early on by Devis Epassy.
The Arsenal forward's horizontal run along the edge of the penalty area in added time also forced Cameroon's second-choice goalkeeper into another fingertip save.
In between those two opportunities Cameroon's threat to Ederson's goal at the other end was limited, with Nouhou Tolo's dangerous cross repelled by the Manchester City goalkeeper, who then parried away Bryan Mbeumo's downward header.
The Brentford winger had the honour of registering the first shot on target of the tournament against the favourites.
Early in the second half Mbeumo teed up Aboubakar for an angled shot which had Ederson scrambling across his goal, but with news filtering through of Switzerland's lead over Serbia, Cameroon knew even if they were to take the lead it would not be enough to save them.
Manchester United left-back Alex Telles departed with an injury , covering his face with his shirt as he walked around the perimeter of the pitch, before Martinelli saw Epassy deny him for a third time after he cut in from the left onto his right foot.
The Cameroon goalkeeper was almost embarrassed by Eder Militao's bundled shot from the resulting corner but managed to recover and turn his fumble around his right-hand post.
Substitute Bruno Guimaraes failed to properly connect with Raphinha's cross as Brazil's second string continued to squander chances and were eventually made to pay.
Jerome Ngom Mbekeli swung over an inviting cross from the right and Aboubakar took full advantage to plant a header past Ederson.

Vincent Aboubakar scores to give Cameroon victory over Brazil

Hwang Hee-chan said team-mate Son Heung-min predicted he would fire South Korea to glory.

Hwang Hee-chan said team-mate Son Heung-min predicted he would fire South Korea to glory ahead of his dramatic injury-time winner against Portugal.
South Korea are through to the last 16 of the World Cup after they came from a goal down to secure a 2-1 win at the Education City Stadium on Friday night.
The South Korean players huddled in a nervous circle to watch the final extraordinary minutes of Uruguay's clash with Ghana unfold on mobile phones.
But after Uruguay failed to add to their two-goal advantage, South Korea celebrated taking the runner-up spot in Group H behind Portugal by virtue of scoring more goals than the South Americans.
Wolves' Hwang, who missed his country's opening two matches through injury, came on as a 66th-minute substitute before he thrashed home Son's assist following a superb dribble and pass by the Tottenham forward directly from a Portugal corner.
"Before the match Son said, 'you are going to create something today, we trust you'," said Hwang.
"When Son got the ball I was convinced that he would pass it to me. It was an excellent pass and it made my job much more easier.
"It was difficult waiting for the result of the match between Uruguay and Ghana, but we proved once again that we could make it to the knockout stage.
"As a Korean citizen I am extremely proud, and I would like to thank all the Korean supporters. I am glad I can give them this present."
Portugal, whose passage to the knockout stages had already been secured, were bidding to become the first side to win all three group games at this tournament.
But following Ricardo Horta's fifth-minute strike they were guilty of taking their foot off the accelerator.
Kim Young-gwon hauled South Korea level on 27 minutes before Hwang's last-gasp winner.
Despite the defeat, Portugal still finish top of the group to avoid a possible second-round meeting with Brazil, who look likely to win Group G.
"We lost our organisation, our focus, and Korea controlled more of the game," said Portugal head coach Fernando Santos.
"Of course our players were motivated, but we conceded a goal when they were on a counter-attack and this can happen at a major tournament.
"We are upset. We finished first of the group, but we wanted to win, and we wanted a better game in order to increase the morale of the players.
"That said, they will not be unmotivated. I trust my team, but this result serves as a warning to them."

Hwang Hee-chan credits Son Heung-min's pep talk for his World Cup winner

Diego Alonso refused to blame his Uruguay stars after they tumbled out of the World Cup.

Boss Diego Alonso refused to blame his Uruguay stars after they tumbled out of the World Cup.
Two first half goals from Giorgio de Arrascaeta, after Sergio Rochet saved Andre Ayew's penalty, looked like sending Uruguay through as Group H runners up with a 2-0 win over Ghana.
But Hwang Hee-chan's late goal gave South Korea a 2-1 victory over Portugal to secure second spot and dump Uruguay out on Friday.
Alonso said: "I don't have anything to say to my players because they broke their backs, they gave their best versions. I don't want to use excuses but everyone can see what happened in the previous matches.
"I know my players gave it all, they did their best to have a good match and today we can't say anything to our players.
"I believe in my players, they responded well, I am thankful. I deeply regret we are out of the World Cup, I truly believe in these players and what they could have achieved in this World Cup."
Former Inter Miami boss Alonso also declined to talk about his future after elimination.
"I think it's too early to talk about it (his future) let's wait for some days and we will discuss it," he said.
De Arrascaeta struck twice in six first-half minutes, heading in from close range before finishing off a flowing move with a low volley, after Ayew was denied from the spot.
The result for Uruguay was never in doubt after that but they could not find a third goal with Federico Valverde denied by Lawrence Ati-Zigi before former Liverpool and Sunderland defender Sebastian Coates poked wide late on.
Mohammed Kudus went close for Ghana, who knew a win would have sent them through, but the Black Stars are also knocked out.
Boss Otto Addo, talent coach at Borussia Dortmund, revealed he would step down having taken charge after Milovan Rajevac was sacked in January.
He said: "At the moment me and my family see our future in Germany, I always said if we qualified for the World Cup I would resign afterwards, even if we were world champions. This is my decision.
"Football is beautiful, sometimes it is ugly. It is ugly for us today, there is no human being in the world who hasn't missed a penalty.
"In the second half we had a lot of chances but we have to do better in defence, allowing two chances against these world-class strikers is two too much.
"We have to learn and I'm very sure we will learn from this in the future."