Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips ‘never expected’ to play for England
Phillips starred for England on the run to the EURO 2020 final
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips has revealed that he never expected to play for England in his football career.
The 25-year-old was recently voted England’s player of the year despite only earning his first call-up last August, an honour which he never anticipated achieving.
Phillips joined his hometown club as a youth player in 2010, making his debut four years later, and says the arrival of maverick coach Marcelo Bielsa in 2018 altered his playing style significantly and ultimately made him a better player; one capable of starring for his country on the biggest stage.
“At first I was shocked,” Phillips told the i newspaper.
“I knew Bielsa was a big name, a massive manager, and I was never going to say no to him when he asked me to do it. The first six months were really hard. I love to fly into a tackle but I didn’t really know how to defend one v one,” he recalls.
Bielsa took Leeds desperately close to promotion in that first season before succeeding the second time around, with Phillips’ playing a crucial role anchoring the midfield while making 37 Championship appearances. Plenty, including Gareth Southgate, took notice of his form in that campaign, and the England boss brought him into the national squad before Phillips had played any Premier League football.
As a youth player Phillips believed he could make it as a professional but was “maybe not good enough to play for England.” Ultimately he was proven spectacularly wrong when Southgate made the decision to bring him into the Three Lions fold, in a decision which shocked many, including Phillips himself.
“When I got the call I never really expected it or thought it would happen and then when it did happen I just knew that, with what I’ve done throughout previous seasons and throughout my life, I’ve been a kid working to this certain moment and it’s actually come. I was very happy.”
Phillips played all but 25 minutes of England’s run to the final Euro 2020 on home soil and starred with strong performances against the likes of Germany and Denmark, leading to him receiving the player of the year accolade which is voted for by supporters.
On the honour of playing for his country, Phillips simply says: “Playing for England is another level.”
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments