‘Some girls spend time on hair and makeup but I’m here to play football’

Keira Walsh looks slightly embarrassed, uneasy even, whenever London’s National Gallery is mentioned. As part of an advertising campaign designed to coincide with Euro 2022, a giant image of England’s playmaker has recently been projected on to that landmark’s facade at nightfall, illuminating the building.

Given that Walsh is so often the three-dimensional player who switches the lights on for England it seems throughly appropriate that the installation is accompanied by the messages “You’ve never seen an artist like this” and “She uses the pitch as a canvas for some of the most striking footwork”.

Although a big part of Walsh’s job for England and Manchester City is destructive, her role is about more than merely breaking up play and serving as a screen for England’s defence. She is adept at interrupting opposition passing moves before unleashing the sort of defence-splitting passes that change games.

Anything but a stereotypical midfield enforcer, the 25-year-old knows precisely how, and when, to put her foot in, but prefers to rely on positional sense and slick interceptions rather than crunching tackles and physical aggression.

Accordingly her England and City teammate Jill Scott, believes a woman who plays the game with her head as much as her feet is “the best holding midfielder in the world” when it comes to “vision and intelligence”. There seems little doubt Walsh will be integral to the Lionesses’ chances of beating Sweden in Tuesday’s Euro 2022 semi-final at Bramall Lane.

Walsh’s interpretation of her role derives in part from a long-standing fixation with Spanish attacking midfielders. At primary schoolin Rochdale, she caused consternation in her Manchester City supporting family by suddenly declaring an