Richards waxed lyrical about our rapid defender, who today signed a new contract, in the ‘The Rest is Football’ podcast he co-hosts alongside Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer.
During this international break, Walker scored his first Three Lions goal in the 1-1 draw against Ukraine and then followed that up with another supreme performance in the 3-1 win away in Scotland.
Richards was impressed with the displays of Walker, who’s earned 15 major honours in sky blue, across the break in domestic action.
And he said that, in his eyes, Walker has now surpassed Gary Neville as the country’s best ever right-sided full-back.
“Can we talk about Kyle Walker? He is the most improved player I think I’ve ever seen,” said Richards.
“Let’s go back, Sheffield United. I watched him in a game and he was electric, just pace.
“Now he’s not got any slower but his final third, in terms of his delivery, needed a lot of work and he was using his pace to get out of position.
“Now he can go into a three at the back and he can still play high and wide as a full-back.
“I just think he’s the complete full-back. I think he’s the greatest ever English, [on the] right-side.
“I think he has now surpassed Gary Neville. He’s won all the trophies. He’s won the Treble. Kyle Walker could play in any era.”
