Kalvin Phillips once again showed that he is right at home on the international stage as he played a huge part in England’s 2-1 semi-final win against Denmark on Wednesday night.
The Leeds United midfielder has started in all six of the Three Lions European Championship matches so far and has been mightily impressive.
In 120 minutes last night, Phillips covered over 15 kilometres which takes his tournament total to a staggering 67.3 kilometres, a distance only bettered by Pedri and Jorginho at Euro 2020.
His stability alongside Declan Rice in the middle of the park has provided a vital base for England’s great defensive record as they are still yet to concede from open play in the tournament.
Phillips made more tackles than any of his team mates against Denmark and applied relentless pressure on the opposition, something that mirrors his performances at club level.
The Leeds midfielder pressed the ball on 37 occasions during the two hours he spent on the pitch which was more than double the amount that anyone else made. No player at the Euros has applied more pressure than Phillips which will come as no surprise to anyone who has watched Marcelo Bielsa’s side over the last few years.
His persistent energy has continued to impress fans and pundits alike, especially considering that he played 31 matches in all competitions last season with two separate injuries disrupting parts of his campaign.
The 25-year-old also showed how comfortable he was with the ball at his feet as he completed 75 of his 84 attempted passes with only Kyle Walker, Harry Maguire and Luke Shaw making more.
Phillips’ importance to the England team has continued to prove any pre-tournament doubters wrong with fans of rival clubs finally concluding that Leeds fans were right to claim that he deserved a place in Southgate’s squad.
He is now just one appearance behind Jack Charlton as the Leeds player with the most caps at major tournaments for England and Phillips will be expecting to draw level with the World Cup winner as England face Italy in the final on Sunday night.
