Gary Neville outlines where 'amazing' Kalvin Phillips should be in Euro 2020 Player of the Tournament race

Gary Neville has singled out Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips for praise after his hugely impressive Euro 2020 campaign – but still believes Raheem Sterling is a better candidate for player of the tournament.
Kalvin Phillips of England. (Photo by Justin Tallis - Pool/Getty Images)Kalvin Phillips of England. (Photo by Justin Tallis - Pool/Getty Images)
Kalvin Phillips of England. (Photo by Justin Tallis - Pool/Getty Images)

The Elland Road hero has started all six of England’s games so far, and could feature again in Sunday’s historic final against Italy.

Likewise, Sterling has been a constant fixture in Gareth Southgate’s side, scoring three goals and assisting one more.

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But while Neville believes that Phillips deserves some of the plaudits for the Three Lions’ run to the final, he has also suggested that the Manchester City winger deserves a greater share.

Speaking to Sky Sports, he said: "I think Raheem Sterling is getting towards being player of the tournament. About four or five days ago, I thought it would be Jordan Pickford. Maybe it's because, at times, I've been critical of Pickford during the season but I thought he'd been exceptional in terms of the clean sheets that we'd kept.

"Luke Shaw has been outstanding, Kyle Walker has been absolutely brilliant, Kalvin Phillips has been amazing in central midfield but you'd have to say now with what Sterling did against Denmark, he definitely jumps in front of those if he wasn't there before.

"He was too good for them. That's an old-fashioned saying that my dad used to say but Raheem Sterling was just too good for them.”

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Phillips has received praise from a number of high-profile figures since the beginning of Euro 2020, with John Barnes recently arguing that he and Declan Rice were the two most important players in England’s squad.