Kalvin Phillips‘ continuous selection in the England national team has left football enthusiasts astounded.
Against all odds, he secured a starting position for the Three Lions in their recent triumph over Italy during the Euro 2024 qualifier, despite his limited playing time at Manchester City.
To truly grasp the gravity of the situation, one must note that Phillips has featured as a starter in just a solitary game for the Cityzens this season.
Since his transition from Leeds United a year ago, he has grappled with acclimating to Pep Guardiola’s system, consistently overshadowed by Rodri.
Yet, Phillips continually receives the nod for England, even when he lags behind players who regularly feature in their club’s starting lineup—a source of growing discontent among fans.
Clearly, Gareth Southgate sees something exceptional in Phillips, who was elated to don the iconic England kit after the triumph against Italy.
In the wake of the game, Phillips expressed his pride, stating, “I was just thrilled to wear the white shirt again.”
However, some Leeds fans immediately noticed a moment of nostalgia and strange happiness in Phillips’ tone in the matter he said that bit.
For one, the ex-Leeds midfielder almost stopped for a second to have a little chuckle before he completed his sentence and seemed to be remembering the good ol’ days when he wore the white for Leeds United.
A lot of fans think that Phillips is probably longing to play for The Whites again and is regretting leaving them so soon. Some Leeds faithful are also ready to welcome him back into the club despite him only leaving them last year.
Phillips has also recently hinted that he would be willing to leave City in the January transfer window if unable to play regularly. Going by his current tone, it wouldn’t be surprising if he actually swaps the blue kit and wear a white jersey at the club level too.