Before England's match against Mexico, Walker wrote in his column for The Sun that all objective conditions seemed to favor Mexico, and that people should be more tolerant of England, but also not to feel sorry for themselves and let their performance on the field speak for itself. Many players in the team have experience playing in major away games against fervent fans, and having played in the Champions League for years, they should be used to it and fully capable of handling such an atmosphere. He also believes that Brazil's match against Norway could be an upset, as both Haaland and Ødegaard are in top form.

Walker's original text

The match in Mexico City is bound to be tough, with high altitude, home advantage, and hostile home fans. All objective conditions seem to favor the hosts.

But I don't want to use these as excuses for losing. The entire England team must have prepared for this. The objective environment will indeed bring disadvantages to England, and we can therefore be more tolerant and understanding of the team. But to represent one's country on the FIFA World Cup stage, to play against the hosts in this legendary stadium, with 90 minutes to decide a quarter-final spot, is an incredibly rare opportunity in itself.

The lads deserve to enjoy this showdown. You will clearly hear the shouts of the fans throughout the stadium and feel the oppressive atmosphere of the home ground. This match is destined to be extraordinary, but we must stay calm and treat it like any other game.

We may need to adjust our tactics, but first, we must recognize that our inherent strength is greater. Mexico has the home stadium advantage, and back in the European Championship, most of our games were played at Wembley, so the home advantage was once ours. Home advantage is inherently a fluctuating thing.

We cannot feel sorry for ourselves; we must let our performance on the field speak for itself. Many players in the team have experience playing in major away games against fervent fans. Having played in the Champions League for years, they are used to playing in away stadiums abroad and are fully capable of handling such an atmosphere.

What impressed me most was playing away at Anfield in the Champions League, where the team bus was targeted by fans setting off flares. I wouldn't say such a scene made me nervous or unwilling to play; on the contrary, it made me more excited—as if the match had already begun on the bus, extending far beyond the 90 minutes on the field.

We lost that match against a strong Liverpool side, but such experiences fuel fighting spirit. Even now, thinking back, I still get goosebumps. This kind of intense competition is the stage every player dreams of.

I mentioned in a previous column that I too have had my rhythm disrupted by the atmosphere of big matches.

In an early World Cup qualifier away against Ukraine, the opposing winger completely nullified me, and I totally lost myself in the match atmosphere. At that time, we had legendary seniors like Terry and Ashley Cole in the team, and I always wanted to perform my best to prove myself. I got too caught up in the atmosphere and forgot about football itself, which is the fundamental reason I am in the England team. That match taught me a lot.

England currently isn't playing a beautiful game, but they always manage to win. Any team aiming for a championship, a Champions League spot, or like the Three Lions now, pushing for the FIFA World Cup, will inevitably have periods of poor performance.

I've been in many locker rooms like that: after the game, the whole team would look at each other, unable to believe that we had actually won the match. But as long as we can secure the victory, that is the core objective.

Of course, I hope this 90 minutes (which could extend to 100 minutes with water breaks) goes smoothly and easily, allowing us to enjoy the game.

Even if we can't, we will give our all to win.

There has been ongoing debate about whether Kane is England's greatest player of all time. Based on appearances, captaincy duration, and crucial goal contributions, he fully deserves this title. But purely in terms of entertainment, technical talent, and innate footballing sense, Rooney is number one in my heart. I've played alongside Gerrard and Lampard, both top midfielders; but Rooney and Gerrard had an innate drive—they would get the ball and, no matter who was opposite them, they were confident in breaking through and scoring.

In contrast, you rarely see Kane dribbling past three or four players to score. But Kane's unique ability is his finishing efficiency in front of goal: when facing the goal, he can always accurately judge the shooting angle and calmly put the ball into the net. This is why he can be considered among England's greatest players.

Today's match between Brazil and Norway is full of highlights, and everyone can't help but wonder: with Haaland playing, can Norway go further in this FIFA World Cup? Without intending to demean the Norway team, objectively speaking, they shouldn't have gotten this far, but with Haaland, a scoring machine who can score from anywhere, they have a chance. Ødegaard is also back to his peak form, constantly orchestrating attacks and creating opportunities, with excellent team chemistry. This match is very likely to be an upset.

The matchup between Haaland and Gabriel will be the focus of the entire game; they will push each other to their limits.

Over the past two years, Arsenal and Manchester City have been consistently competing for the league title, and their head-to-head clashes have always been a central highlight of the title race.

Players from both teams have had numerous confrontations, but both are top players, and their rivalry brings out the best in each other.

Of course, we hope that conflicts do not cross the line of sportsmanship, but this kind of intense rivalry is precisely what makes the game exciting.

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