England and Manchester City defender Kyle Walker credits his father’s tough love as a key factor in his rise to elite status.
Walker, who has achieved considerable success at City—including six Premier League titles, two FA Cups, four EFL Cups, and a Champions League trophy—has also earned 90 caps for England and is celebrated as one of the world’s top right-backs.
In a recent episode of the You’ll Never Beat Kyle Walker podcast, the 34-year-old reflected on the profound impact his father, Michael, had on his career.
Walker revealed that his father’s critical feedback early in his career motivated him to excel, saying, “My dad made me be the person and player that I am.” He added that proving his father wrong was a driving force during his formative years.
“I used to hate going to football with him,” said Walker, who has also played for Sheffield United and Tottenham – and had loan spells at QPR, Aston Villa and Northampton.
“No matter if I played good or I played bad, I’d get in the car and I’d be reduced to tears. He’d say I wouldn’t have done this right, I wouldn’t have done that right.
“He didn’t do it because he wanted to hurt me. He did it because he cared.”
Walker acknowledged his mother Tracey provided the “caring support” he needed and it took him a long time to win over his father with how he played on the pitch.
“Sometimes it was very, very tough to get in that car, my mum would be going ‘Michael, leave him alone he’s done well’,” Walker said.
“I could have scored three goals. But he would have said, ‘no, you should have scored six’. Only when I’ve got older in my career, he actually says ‘all right, well played son’.
“After a couple of years at City. I think he was then like ‘you know, he actually can play football’.”
Walker said he does “not do the same” with his own children in terms of critiquing their performances, although he does tap into some aspects of his father’s parenting style.
“I still feel that some of the things in life – where he’s taught me to be a winner – I’m trying to embed that into the boys,” he added.
“With my kids now, I don’t let them win. If I keep letting them win, when they lose, it’s going to be traumatic for them.
“We’ll play a little game in the garden or something and I’ll give it my all because I feel that it’s going to install that into them.”
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