Former England right-back Kyle Walker has said he holds no regrets over his decision to step away from international football, insisting he feels settled with the choice despite England's recent tournament struggles at right-back.
Walker, who turned 36 in May and now plays for Burnley, announced his retirement from the national team in March, bringing an end to a distinguished international career that spanned 96 caps and appearances at five major tournaments. Among the highlights of his time with the Three Lions were European Championship final appearances in 2021 and 2024, as well as a run to the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
England's path through this summer's tournament in North America was complicated by a shortage of options at right-back. With Reece James and Tino Livramento both sidelined through injury, manager Thomas Tuchel was forced to improvise, using midfielder Declan Rice in the position, while central defenders Ezri Konsa and Jarell Quansah also filled in at various points. England ultimately finished third in the competition.
Despite the defensive reshuffling that followed his departure, Walker firmly rejected the suggestion that he might have left international duty prematurely. "No, definitely not," he said when asked directly whether he retired too soon.
The former Manchester City defender explained that the decision was not made in isolation, but rather with the full involvement of his family, who he said had shared in the experiences of tournament summers and international commitments throughout his career.
"Decisions in life you stand on what you do," Walker said. "I made that decision and it was a collaborative decision for me and my family. They have been through everything with me in the summers and internationals so it was not just me, myself and I making that decision."
He acknowledged the difficulty of walking away from the national team but described a sense of peace with how things have unfolded since. "It was a difficult decision but one I'm more at ease with now," he said. "It was something I wanted to do and felt it was right. I spent a lot of years with England representing my country that I was very grateful for."
Walker also addressed the possibility that, given the injuries that hit England's right-back options during the tournament, he might have been recalled had he still been available. He suggested that while a recall could theoretically have happened, he was not anticipating any such call given his retired status.
"The way the squad and injuries fell, maybe I might have been in with a shout but I was not to foresee that," Walker said. "He [Tuchel] could've always called me and I would've represented my country, but he decided not to and that's how it goes. I was not expecting a call because I was retired."
He noted that the queue of players ahead of him in that position — naming Reece James, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Tino Livramento — meant he did not feel he was leaving the squad short-handed by stepping aside, allowing him to instead prioritize time with his family.
Looking ahead, Walker expressed hope that shedding the burden of international commitments could help prolong his club career, drawing a comparison to former England and Liverpool team-mate James Milner, who has continued playing at a high level well into his late thirties. With his focus now solely on Burnley, Walker appears intent on maximizing the remaining years of his playing career at club level.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport Football.