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Joe Donnohue

Leeds United's Kalvin Phillips shows he hasn't forgotten his roots after classy hometown video

Midfielder Kalvin Phillips is set to become the first Leeds United player to represent England at a major international tournament for 19 years this summer.

England's Euro 2020 fixture list includes group games against Croatia, Scotland and Czech Republic before a potential foray into the knockout rounds.

Phillips made Gareth Southgate's final 26-man squad for the competition, despite injuring his shoulder on the final day of the Premier League season last month.

It is expected that if Jordan Henderson cannot prove his fitness, England boss Southgate will revert to his contingency pairing of Declan Rice and Kalvin Phillips as a double pivot at the base of midfield.

Theoretically, with the duo's defensive solidity, it would allow Southgate to field more attacking options at full-back.

Ahead of the European Championships, Kalvin Phillips has been in receipt of a classy message from his former club Wortley FC.

Phillips was spotted by a Leeds United scout as a 15-year-old whilst playing for Wortley and has represented the Whites since.

Following an unbeaten season this year though, Wortley Reserves' players arranged to send Phillips a good luck message ahead of the Euros.

Undoubtedly, the club's most famous son, Phillips replied to the video with blue heart emojis on Twitter.

Wortley's players break out into song during the video, singing the Elland Road favourite which refers to Phillips as the 'Yorkshire Pirlo'.

Despite the flurry of notifications and messages that footballers' personal social media accounts receive, Phillips still found the time to acknowledge his former club's well-wishes.

Phillips played for Wortley from the age of eight until he was scouted by Leeds.

That same scout, Walter Sweeney, spoke to the i Paper last week revealing what it was about Phillips that immediately caught his eye.

The Whites midfielder has come a long way from his teenage days, and owes a debt of gratitude to Marcelo Bielsa and his staff for revitalising a stalling career.

Now, an international footballer and Leeds United icon, Phillips' recognition of his old side is one which shows that despite his change in status, Kalvin remains the same beneath the Premier League footballer veneer.

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