Kyle Walker Is Blamed for His Performance in Slovakia’s Euro 2024 Opening Match Against England

Due to his placement during England’s defensive lapse that resulted in Slovakia’s opening goal in Euro 2024, Kyle Walker has drawn criticism. The Manchester City defender had trouble keeping Slovakia’s Lukas Haraslin in check and making poor passes throughout the first half of the match in Gelsenkirchen.

England, under by Gareth Southgate, were the clear favorites going into the game, so they were taken aback when Slovakia’s Francesco Calzona seized the lead after 25 minutes. Although there were other defensive blunders in the build-up to the goal, Walker’s positioning—five yards behind the rest of the defensive line—has been pointed out as a crucial element in Slovakia’s scoring opportunity.

During the sequence, striker David Strelec found Ivan Schranz, who took advantage of the opening created by Marc Guehi’s pursuit. Schranz took advantage of England’s haphazard defense by slotting the ball past Jordan Pickford with ease. There was a stark lack of cohesiveness in the defensive line, and Walker’s misdirection played a big part in it.

One irate England supporter posted, “Kyle Walker, what were you doing?” on social media site X. Still, Walker wasn’t the only target of criticism. John Stones and Marc Guehi, two central defenders, were also questioned about their involvement in the goal. Guehi was given a yellow card early in the game, which will prevent him from playing in the quarterfinals, which will only worsen the situation for England.

Inside the stadium, the disappointment of the people was evident. Just before the half-hour mark, and once more when the referee blew the whistle for half-time, boos reverberated throughout the stadium. The England side that was supposed to win the tournament performed far below expectations in the first half of the match.

Walker, who is 34 years old, is one of the team’s more seasoned players, which only made fans and analysts more irate. Although it was anticipated that his steadiness and leadership would help the younger players navigate the difficulties of the tournament, this crucial mistake has placed him under close examination.

Now is the time for Gareth Southgate to rally his team for the rest of the competition. In order to progress and compete at the top level, England needs to solve defensive breakdowns like as the one against Slovakia. The burden is on the Three Lions to respond quickly and decisively as both supporters and detractors have expressed their dissatisfaction.