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Kieran Trippier may be a long-standing member of Gareth Southgate\u2019s England squad but given the level of competition at full-back, he is not taking his place at Euro 2024 as a given.<\/p>\n
The Newcastle defender is now one of the senior men within Southgate\u2019s ranks and has amassed 46 caps to date.<\/p>\n
His only senior goal was the opener in the 2018 World Cup semi-final defeat to Croatia with his ability to play on either side of Southgate\u2019s defence keeping him in and around the team ever since.<\/p>\n
Despite his consistency for club and country, Trippier is now arguably in the strongest pool of full-backs available to England.<\/p>\n
In recent times Kyle Walker, Reece James and Ben White have played at right-back \u2013 with the versatile pair of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Rico Lewis also in contention \u2013 while Luke Shaw, Ben Chilwell and Levi Colwill have operated on the left.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to keep performing well for my club first,\u201d he said of Euro 2024 selection.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere are so many good full-backs in England at the moment, I need to focus on my own performances. Obviously I want to be there but I know I need to be playing at a high level to be successful.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve always believed in myself. I\u2019ve always had challenges in my career. I\u2019ve always been up against top right-backs for many years now and it\u2019s just about believing in yourself.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think the demands on a full-back these days playing now is so much. You\u2019ve got to get forward. You\u2019ve got to go on the overlaps but ultimately, you\u2019ve got to defend as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there\u2019s a big responsibility on full-backs the way we play in the Premier League now.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you look at all the English full-backs, there\u2019s incredible talent.\u201d<\/p>\n
Southgate has largely put faith in youth since taking the reins as manager in 2016, with Trippier now one of the elder statesmen in the current squad alongside fellow 33-year-olds Walker and Jordan Henderson.<\/p>\n
He will be hoping to start again when England face North Macedonia in their final Euro 2024 qualifier on Monday night but, regardless of the changes made by Southgate, Trippier knows leadership does not necessarily come with age.<\/p>\n
We’ve got great characters and – the most important thing – a great togetherness in this squad<\/p>\n
\u201cIt only seems like yesterday when I was first walking into camp, when Gary Cahill was here and Joe Hart and all the experienced players,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
\u201cFast forward it to now, I\u2019m one of the oldest so it just shows how quickly football goes.<\/p>\n
\u201cEven though I\u2019m one of the oldest, we\u2019ve got a lot of leaders in this room, you\u2019ve got a lot of players playing at a high level.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t need to be 33 to voice your opinion or whatever it may be.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve got great characters and \u2013 the most important thing \u2013 a great togetherness in this squad.<\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody speaks whatever they need to speak and everybody listens. We\u2019ve got a good, honest group here.\u201d<\/p>\n