Published 20 June 2024 2 min read
England Men's Senior Team
Kyle Walker: 'It's tournament football'
The England defender speaks after the Three Lions' draw against Denmark at EURO 2024
MATCH CENTRE: DENMARK 1-1 ENGLAND
Kyle Walker says England should remain calm and find another gear, following their 1-1 draw with Denmark at EURO 2024.
The Three Lions took a first-half lead through Harry Kane before the Danes levelled things up before the break after a long-range strike from Morten Hjulmand.
But the result means England sit top of their group with a game remaining and the Manchester City man is focusing on the next match against Slovenia and beyond.
“It's tournament football, this is a good Denmark team, we are top of the group so let's try and take the positive from this game,” said Walker.
“We've not lost, we have conceded a great strike from outside the box. Sometimes you have to take your hat off to good goals.
“I thought we set up really well as we did the other day but we haven’t managed to see the game out. But we are top of the group so let's move on to the next game.”
The Three Lions took a first-half lead through Harry Kane before the Danes levelled things up before the break after a long-range strike from Morten Hjulmand.
But the result means England sit top of their group with a game remaining and the Manchester City man is focusing on the next match against Slovenia and beyond.
“It's tournament football, this is a good Denmark team, we are top of the group so let's try and take the positive from this game,” said Walker.
“We've not lost, we have conceded a great strike from outside the box. Sometimes you have to take your hat off to good goals.
“I thought we set up really well as we did the other day but we haven’t managed to see the game out. But we are top of the group so let's move on to the next game.”
Walker admitted that Denmark made the game tough for England as well as providing an insight into how the team had to manage the game on the pitch.
“It's just the game,” he added. “You are sensing the game, they probably had the upper hand at certain parts of the game and as defenders you try and think 'what if?'.
“If we go charging forward and they go and score, all of a sudden they are blaming the defence that we are not in position.
“We have got enough up front to go and score goals, we have enough as a team to go and defend. Let's take it as a point, a well-deserved point and we move onto the next game.
“Sometimes in tournament football you have to manage the game. That's why it is so hard to win tournaments, just like the Champions League, it's not a walkthrough.
“We know we can do better. We are top of the group so let's move onto that.
“We know we’ve got another gear but we haven't lost a game. Everyone wants us to come and steamroll teams 3-0 or 4-0, but that's not football these days.
“We've got a point, we're top of the group, we'll move on.”
“It's just the game,” he added. “You are sensing the game, they probably had the upper hand at certain parts of the game and as defenders you try and think 'what if?'.
“If we go charging forward and they go and score, all of a sudden they are blaming the defence that we are not in position.
“We have got enough up front to go and score goals, we have enough as a team to go and defend. Let's take it as a point, a well-deserved point and we move onto the next game.
“Sometimes in tournament football you have to manage the game. That's why it is so hard to win tournaments, just like the Champions League, it's not a walkthrough.
“We know we can do better. We are top of the group so let's move onto that.
“We know we’ve got another gear but we haven't lost a game. Everyone wants us to come and steamroll teams 3-0 or 4-0, but that's not football these days.
“We've got a point, we're top of the group, we'll move on.”