Gareth Southgate talks Kyle Walker out of retirement from England duty twice

Gareth Southgate has revealed that he has twice talked England and Manchester City star Kyle Walker out of retiring from international duty.

Having amassed 77 caps and counting since making his Three Lions debut in 2011, Walker can be considered one of the best defenders in his country’s history. The right-back has represented his country at four international tournaments, playing a key role in their run to the semi-finals at the 2018 World Cup and the final of Euro 2020.

At the age of 33, he is still as important as ever and finally scored his first England goal in the 1-1 draw against Ukraine on Saturday.

Southgate talks Walker out of retirement

However, Southgate has now revealed that the City legend was prepared to hang up his international boots at two points in the last few years and had to be persuaded to continue.

‘I’ve talked him out of retirement from international football twice. After the Euros [in 2020] and after the World Cup [in 2022],’ the England manager said as his side prepare for the friendly against Scotland on Tuesday.

‘I think he loves being here and he’s wanted to keep going and now he’s thinking about how many caps can he get. If we’re talking about world class players in their position in our team then he’s probably one of them.’

Walker’s importance to England

Southgate has praised Walker for his all-round game, saying: ‘He has great composure in a position where you don’t always find it. Our senior players were important and he was the pick against Ukraine.’

It is a testament to his ability that Walker is still first-choice given England’s incredible depth at right-back, with Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier, Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold and Chelsea’s Reece James all trying to usurp him.

Walker’s thoughts on retirement

Walker has now admitted that that competition has weighed on his mind a lot and was a key factor as he contemplated retiring.

He said: ‘Obviously, at the time that me and Gareth spoke, the likes of Trent, Tripps, Reece James were coming through — you do think your days are numbered. And to sacrifice how many holidays and summers that I’ve sacrificed… I’ve been doing this since I was 19 when I joined the senior team. I’m 33 now. Me and Gareth have a good relationship off the field. We do speak and I feel that I can still bring something to the team. So why stop?’

Conclusion

Walker’s importance to England cannot be overstated, and it is clear that his experience and leadership are invaluable to Gareth Southgate’s side. His ability to stay at the top of his game despite his age is remarkable, and it is clear that he still has plenty to offer. It is a testament to his character that he is still willing to fight for his place in the side despite the competition from younger players, and it is clear that he will remain an important part of the England team for some time to come.