“Best full-back in the world” – Rico Lewis discusses Kyle Walker competition with glittering review | OneFootball

Manchester City right-back Rico Lewis has hailed teammate Kyle Walker, describing the veteran defender as the “best full-back in the world.”

The 19-year-old has successfully restricted the minutes of the 34-year-old defender during the opening weeks of the new 2024/25 season, with Pep Guardiola choosing to hand four successive starts to the teenager at right-back.

Lewis, who has already made over 50 first-team appearances for the Sky Blues, has starred against Manchester United, Chelsea, Ipswich Town and West Ham United during the opening month of the season.

The teenager has been rewarded with a first senior call-up to the England squad, with the defender named by Lee Carsley for upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures against both Ireland and Finland.

Walker, who made a cameo appearance at the London Stadium on Saturday evening, has been excluded from the Three Lions squad for upcoming friendlies, with trio John Stones, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden also all selected.

The current Manchester City skipper hasn’t started for Manchester City since the FA Cup final loss to Manchester United at Wembley Stadium in May, as Guardiola monitors the minutes of those that competed at the European Championship over the summer.

Lewis has drawn huge praise for his performances during the opening weeks of the campaign, but has revealed that is competing to play with the “best full-back in the world.”

Speaking about the 34-year-old at the London Stadium on Saturday evening, Lewis said: “It’s amazing. In my opinion, he’s the best full-back in the world and if not the best Premier League full-back ever. Like Pep says, we’re both different players.

“He’s so good defensively, physically he’s much better and dominant than me but we have different qualities.  That’s what you see throughout the whole team – different players in different positions and offering different things.”

Manchester City return to action later this month, hosting Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in the Premier League just days before beginning their UEFA Champions League campaign with a huge clash against Inter Milan.