England defender Kyle Walker officially announced on Tuesday that he will end his 15-year international career, effective immediately.

Walker has made 96 appearances for England since his first call-up in February 2011, contributing one goal and 10 assists. He has represented the country in three European Championships (2016, 2021, 2024) and two World Cups (2018, 2022), reaching the European Championship final twice and the semi-finals of the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

However, Walker made a bold decision to retire from the Three Lions on the eve of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. In his statement, he wrote: "After more than a decade of representing my country, I have decided to retire from international football."

"Playing for England has always been the highest honor of my career, and something I will always be proud of."

"Thank you to every teammate, coach, team leader, twelfth man, and everyone behind the scenes who participated in this journey. Every cheer from the fans is the driving force that propels the team forward. I look forward to being one of them and cheering for my teammates at the World Cup."

"The memory of wearing the England jersey will forever be etched in my heart."

“I also want to thank my family for their support along the way, which made this journey even more meaningful. I will always be grateful to have been through all of this with them.”

After confirming his retirement from international competition, the 35-year-old Walker is expected to focus entirely on playing for Burnley. He has made 27 appearances for Burnley this season, providing 2 assists.

However, Burnley currently sit second-to-last in the Premier League with a record of 4 wins, 7 draws, and 18 losses, accumulating 19 points. With only 9 rounds remaining in the Premier League, they are still 9 points behind the relegation zone.

Besides Burnley, Walker also played for Sheffield United, Northampton Town, Tottenham Hotspur, Queens Park Rangers, Aston Villa, Manchester City, AC Milan, and other clubs throughout his career. To date, he has made 59 appearances in the Champions League, 23 in the Europa League, 437 in the Premier League, and 11 in Serie A, winning one Champions League title, one Club World Cup title, six Premier League titles, one UEFA Super Cup title, two FA Cup titles, four League Cup titles, and two Community Shield titles.

Image source: Internet/Manchester City official website