Premier league record scorer Alan Shearer has revealed there’s a clear winner in the ongoing debate over who’s the best right-back in the England national team.
England will participate in this summer’s Euro 2024 as one of the competition’s favourites after cruising through qualifying.
The Three Lions are blessed with a squad packed full of world-class talent, with no position having better strength in depth than the right side of defence.
Gareth Southgate has numerous options in that area, with Manchester City defender Kyle Walker, Newcastle’s Kieran Trippier and Liverpool star Trent Alexander-Arnold vying for a starting place.
Other options include currently injured Chelsea defender Reece James and versatile Arsenal man Ben White among others.
But one player is head and shoulders above the rest, according to Newcastle legend Shearer.
Speaking on the latest The Rest Is Football podcast – in which he, Micah Richards and Gary Lineker gave out their end of year awards for 2023 – Shearer said he would pick City defender Walker as his first-choice right-back.
“There is only one winner there,” said Shearer.
“I had him down whether we had gone for a best defender or best full-back, I went for Kyle Walker.
“I just think that for everything [Manchester] City do, he’s integral because of the way they play.
“As Micah said, the full-back role has changed a little bit but he is still key to defending. John Stones does most of the getting into the midfield for City, rather than Walker.
“His role hasn’t changed that much.”
Shearer added: “Trent, I don’t think he’s a great defender. But what he does for Liverpool in terms of his range of passing and crossing, it’s just out of this world.
“So I would class him more as a midfielder now than a defender. For all of those reasons, I went for Walker.”
Walker enjoyed an exceptional 2023 with City, helping them win the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup treble under Pep Guardiola.
City have since gone on to claim the European Super Cup and Club World Cup this season, and are currently five points adrift of leaders Liverpool in the Premier League standings – having played one game less than their rivals.
