Walker says England should aim for the World Cup final, but are not favorites.

Walker wrote in his column: "Don't assume we have this World Cup sewn up. I still think France are the favorites to win. But if England don't reach the final now, we should be disappointed. The brilliant win against Mexico answered a lot of questions. This is the performance we've been waiting for, not just individually, but as a whole. Everyone gave their all in very difficult circumstances."

"At the start of this World Cup, there were still question marks over some players. There were even doubts about whether Bellingham should be in the World Cup squad. But big-game players step up in important matches, and his ability is timeless, as he showed. It's not a fluke. He's put in a lot of hard work behind the scenes; you don't become a Real Madrid player for no reason."

"Pickford is another player who has faced questions, and he has proven why he is England's number one goalkeeper and why he has held that position for so many years. Jordan is a good friend of mine, and it's not by luck that he's been England's goalkeeper for so many years and played in so many major tournaments. He's earned it through his ability. Whenever he puts on the England shirt and steps onto the field, he always delivers his best. I've said before that he can sometimes be overly active, but perhaps it was the fervent atmosphere of the Azteca Stadium that made Jordan seem calm. He made several brilliant saves and also used some mind games. He held onto the ball when he needed to, slowed down the pace, and bought time."

"Nico O'Reilly is also an unsung hero. He performed exceptionally well. Obviously, the praise will focus on players like Bellingham and Harry Kane, but Nico also did very, very well. In cup football, everyone needs to be ready at all times. Dan Burn and Stones came on when we were a man down and showed their professionalism in such an important match. They made blocks, put their bodies on the line to stop shots, and ensured the defense fought desperately, which is fully commendable. You have to enjoy defending. These defenders, especially the center-backs, all love defending. When defending gets tough, I tell my fellow defenders, it's time to put on your boots and get through the mud. That's when you earn your stripes as a defender. Every single one of them can walk off the pitch, look at each other and say, 'I did my job.'"

"But the Mexico game is in the past. You can accept the praise and pat yourself on the back, but you have to get back down to earth quickly. Next up is a very important quarter-final against Norway, and a dangerous striker I know very well – Haaland. He has a very remarkable ability: he can go long periods without touching the ball, but once he touches it, he can put it in the net. Many players, including myself, get agitated when they don't touch the ball for a long time, but he doesn't. When the team needs him, when he needs to score, he's always there. What Norway has achieved is truly remarkable. They just beat Brazil, and their coach Ancelotti talked about how many mid-table teams can also achieve good results. Obviously, there are the strong teams, but what Norway is doing is good for football. Honestly, I might prefer to play Brazil rather than Norway. Brazil have space behind them to exploit, and their midfield isn't as dynamic, so we might be able to beat them easily. But Norway is a well-organized team. They don't care much about possession, but once they get the ball, you can see they can play together. Haaland and Odegaard are in top form, which could be a big problem. But hopefully England can put in the same performance as they did against Mexico."

"Two weeks ago you might have said we had no chance of winning the World Cup. It's different now. We've avoided the other half of the draw, but there are still many strong teams in our half. The competition is getting tougher, and the players are getting stronger. We've been close in the past but haven't been able to push that door open the way we wanted. While I want everyone to stay grounded, this is an excellent opportunity for these England lads."

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