Leeds United stars past and present send messages as Kalvin Phillips salutes dream come true

Phillips established himself as an England regular at Leeds and started every single game as Gareth Southgate’s side reached the Euro 2020 final in which they were agonisingly beaten on penalties by Italy. The Yorkshire Pirlo then left the Whites to join Manchester City in the summer but the 26-year-old has played just 53 minutes for Pep Guardiola’s champions so far following an opening to the season disrupted by injury.

Phillips underwent surgery to correct a long-standing shoulder issue in the Autumn but the midfielder returned as a second-half substitute for the EFL Cup victory at home to Chelsea at the start of this month and was then named in Southgate’s final squad for the Qatar World Cup.

Phillips was an unused substitute for England’s first two group stage games against Iran and the USA but the midfielder was handed his World Cup debut as a second-half substitute in Tuesday night’s 3-0 win against Wales. The Leeds-born star bagged an assist just 11 minutes after coming on by playing in Marcus Rashford to bag his second goal and England’s third en route to the last 16 as Group B winners. A delighted Phillips then took to social media to express his delight at representing the Three Lions at the World Cup and his post was greeted by a host of replies from Leeds stars past and present.

"It’s been a dream of mine to play for England at a World Cup since as long as I can remember!” wrote Phillips. "Unreal night. Minutes in the tank and through to the knockouts.”

Whites stars Stuart Dallas, Luke Ayling, Pascal Struijk, Sam Greenwood and Crysencio Summerville were among those to post congratulatory replies in addition to ex-Whites men Barry Douglas, Lewis Cook, Alex Mowatt, Leif Davis, Ryan Edmondson and Jay-Roy Grot. England star Jude Bellingham replied with “my brother” which in itself gained a host of likes.