Steven Gerrard drops clanger after sending retirement message to Kyle Walker

Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard has sent his best wishes to Kyle Walker after the Burnley ace announced his international retirement with England with 96 caps to his name.

Steven Gerrard made a mistake in wishing well to Kyle Walker after his England retirement(Image: (Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images))

Steven Gerrard has sent a positive message to Kyle Walker after announcing his international retirement from England duty, but tagged the wrong person in his comment.

The former Manchester City and Tottenham star confirmed his decision to retire from international football before the March break, where Thomas Tuchel will name his penultimate Three Lions squad before the World Cup. Walker won 96 caps with England during his career, helping the side reach two tournament finals.

The 35-year-old posted a message on social media, to which Gerrard said: "Great player and service well done," before tagging the wrong Kyle Walker account. He tagged the Sky Sports presenter namesake instead of the Burnley star in a bit of a clanger for the former Liverpool captain.

That doesn't take away from the message, however, as plenty of tributes were paid to Walker for his time spent in an England shirt. The full-back sent out a lengthy statement on his time with the Three Lions, reflecting on a successful international career for his country.

“I am sad to be making this decision, but I’m also very proud of what I've achieved with England,” said Walker in a post from the official England account. “To represent my country at five major tournaments, to get to the finals that we've reached and to be surrounded by this England team, especially the players and the managers that I've had the privilege of working under, has been a great honour.

LONDON, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 21: Kyle Walker of Burnley during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Burnley at Stamford Bridge on February 21, 2026 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Izzy Poles - AMA/Getty Images)(Image: (Photo by Izzy Poles - AMA/Getty Images))

“But today is the time that comes to an end. It's good for me to have a little bit of closure to my career on the international stage. I would just like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart to the managers that I've worked under, from Fabio Capello, to Roy Hodgson, to Lee Carsley, to Gareth Southgate and to Thomas, for making a dream become reality.

“Thank you to all of my team mates, past and present, and I wish everyone all the best. And to the fans, thank you for the support over the years. Keep supporting the lads, they need you guys, they need you behind them to make sure that they can do this country proud.

“We're all going to be behind them and hopefully I can now be a fan watching them go and achieve something big at this World Cup. And last but certainly not least, thank you to my family.

"Thank you for putting up with all of the summers being away, and for all the times that I've obviously gone and followed my dream in representing my country. The book is now closed and it's been a whirlwind of a journey, but one that I've really, really enjoyed.”

Walker's retirement means there is still competition in the England ranks for the right-back position heading into the World Cup. Reece James and Tino Livramento are among those expected to compete for the shirt, while Trent Alexander-Arnold will be hoping he can make a late charge for a place under Tuchel.

The former Liverpool defender has struggled to put himself in the England frame this season, having suffered a nightmare start to life at Real Madrid. Injuries have been a major problem for the right-back, but there is still an outside shot to land a place on the plane to America.

It remains to be seen whether that is a distinct possibility, or if it's too late for Alexander-Arnold to make his push.