James Norton says he’d play Harry Maguire in film about England’s Euro 2020 journey: ‘I’ve got a head on me’

Actor said tournament has been ‘cinematic’

James Norton has thrown his hat in the ring to play Harry Maguire in a film about England’s “cinematic” journey to the Euro 2020 final.

On Sunday (11 July), Gareth Southgate’s team will face off against Italy in the final of the European tournament, marking their first major final since 1966.

Speaking to PA news agency, Happy Valley star Norton said that the nature of the way football is filmed now lends it to a big-screen retelling, explaining: “There’s an inherent drama to the build-up, they definitely borrow from drama storytelling in TV.

"You can see the way that it’s presented, and the pundits, there is a kind of a marriage of the two, in the way documentaries are becoming almost sort of like pieces of fiction… I’ve actually been thinking about that, about doing a movie about sports. I love it, I love the cinematic quality and am totally in it for the ride right now.”

Asked who he would want to play in a film about the tournament, the actor said: “Physically, Harry Maguire. I guess I’m quite tall and I feel like I could be a big defender, I’m nearly 6ft 2in so I’ve got a head on me.

“Who else could I be? [Phil] Foden? Just get a little haircut, I love transformative hairdos in acting, so shave it all off and get a little peroxide job. Apparently all the kids want to be Foden right now.”

Additional reporting by Press Association