Kyle Walker names his toughest opponents, excludes both Messi & Ronaldo | OneFootball

Kyle Walker is among the best right-backs in the world.

The Sheffield-born defender is known for his rapid pace, strength, and ability to pick out a pass.

He began his career at his boyhood club Sheffield United. He managed to make his debut for The Blades in January of 2009, and it wasn’t long before other clubs came sniffing around for the young star.

Already showing signs of promise, Tottenham snapped up the player in July of the same year he made his full debut for Sheffield United. Despite being immediately loaned back to his hometown club, he only lasted a few months before being recalled and given a couple of appearances for Spurs.

From there, the sky was the limit.

In the coming seasons, Walker established himself as a top right-back in the country and his 2017 move to Manchester City helped him earn a fair few accolades along the way.

He has four Premier League titles to his name which have all come within the last five years. The Englishman is constantly competing at the highest level both domestically, in Europe, and on the international stage, which often puts him up against some of the best wingers in the world.

Many may wonder who the defender values as his toughest direct competitor over the years, which is exactly the question that BBC Sport has asked him.

Who are Kyle Walker's toughest opponents?

"First of all, I would say (Eden) Hazard. We’ve had some good battles at Tottenham, you know, Tottenham v Chelsea. He was really tough to mark, and sometimes I got the better of him, sometimes he got the better of me.

"Second, I would say (Sadio) Mane. Again, you know, being at Manchester City, I’ve had some great rivals with Liverpool and coming up against him was always tough. You know, so skillful, worked really hard for the team, and also, you know, chipped in with a lot of goals, sometimes against me."

Originally, they asked him to name his top three most difficult foes, but the England right-back couldn’t separate two entries for the final spot.

"(Kylian) Mbappe or Vinicius Junior. I think it’s hard to say between them both. You know, Mbappe very, very skillful. Obviously played against him at PSG and against France in the World Cup.

"Vinicius Junior I think the same, very skillful young player, exciting winger, you know, with the world at his feet, so I think both of them deserve a mention, and it would be hard for me to say a top three."