In 2006, the film Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait was released. This groundbreaking documentary focussed solely on Zinedine Zidane. Using 17 cameras and filmed in real time, the film documented 90 minutes of Zidane playing for Real Madrid. It depicts an athlete at the peak of their powers, Zidane gliding across the turf, pulling the strings in a Real Madrid side full of superstars, before being sent off in the final moments of the game. In the end, life did imitate art in Zidane’s career.
If they were to make a sequel to this film in the women’s game, Keira Walsh would be the perfect candidate. Walsh is the heartbeat of the current England Women’s team, with the Lionesses aiming to do something no English International team has managed to do – winning a world cup on foreign soil.
Walsh is the epitome of this England team. Born in Rochdale, but a keen admirer of Pep Guardiola’s tiki-taka style, she controls the midfield through tempo in the way in which Sergio Busquets did for Guardiola’s great Barcelona team. A Champions League winner with Barcelona, having left her childhood club Manchester City to move there, she is at the forefront of a new era for women’s football globally.
When Walsh is at her best, she controls the game for England. If Walsh is given the time and space to spray the ball around in midfield, then England play well. Ex-Spain manager Vicente Del Bosque once said of Busquets, “If you watch the game, you won’t see Busquets. But if you watch Busquets, you see the whole game” and this is equally true of Walsh.
Walsh is a wonderful reader of the game, seemingly seeing one pass ahead of those around her, like a chess grandmaster. Without the ball, she is also crucial in organising the team. Walsh is crucial in ensuring that England maintain the shape that has made them so hard to break down under Sarina Wiegman.
Conversely, if Walsh is denied the time and space to operate, England struggle. In the build up to this World Cup, Australia successfully starved Walsh of the ball when the two sides met. In that game, the Matildas, inspired by their star player Sam Kerr, overcame the Lionesses, winning the game 2-0.
Australia marked Walsh out of the game. England looked disjointed and succumbed to a 2-0 defeat. This was the Lionesses first defeat in 30 games. Australia will be aiming to do the same again when the two sides meet on Wednesday.
In many ways, the rest of this tournament is a bonus for Walsh. In England’s group game against Denmark, Walsh lay stricken on the ground. She was holding her knee and it seemed likely that Walsh’s tournament was over. The women’s game is suffering a serious wave of ACL injuries, which needs urgent review. Walsh looked to have suffered the same fate.
But 10 days later, she was back in the England team. Walsh started the last-16 tie against Nigeria. Although England weren’t at their best that day, they showed the grit and determination that champion teams always have in abundance. Walsh has a pass success rate of 88 per cent across the tournament and was as effective as ever in the 2-1 win over Columbia.
Walsh is only 26 years old and has already achieved so much in the game. The best years of her career are still to come. The Lionesses are already making a strong case for being the best international side England has produced. They are certainly the greatest English team since the men’s team won the World Cup in 1966. Walsh, therefore, should be considered one of England’s greatest-ever footballers. While she may not grab the headlines in the way other players do, Walsh is the central cog around which this team rotates.
Many backed England to struggle at this World Cup. This is a team which has suffered from injuries to critical players, most notably their star defender Leah Williamson. They have also seen crucial members of the European Championship-winning squad retiring.
But through their flair, skill and dogged determination, the Lionesses have overcome this adversity to find themselves two games from winning a first World Cup for England since 1966. With a fit Walsh back in the midfield, they appear to be peaking at the right time.
If the Lionesses can spoil Australia’s party, in their own backyard, then you can guarantee that Walsh will have been instrumental in the victory.
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