Kyle Walker admits his dad 'reduced him to tears' after every football match and made him 'hate' going to games as Man City star opens up on tough childhood on Sheffield council estate

Walker shared candid insights into his difficult upbringing, revealing how his father’s strict approach to parenting left a lasting impact on him. Walker’s upbringing on the Lansdowne Estate in Sheffield has profoundly shaped his approach to parenting his own children. Reflecting on his father’s tough love, Walker admitted that while he resented it at the time, it ultimately contributed to his success as both a person and a professional footballer.

Speaking on the BBC Sounds podcast You'll Never Beat Kyle Walker, the Manchester City star recounted how his father’s approach to parenting, though harsh, played a crucial role in shaping his character.

"My dad, I used to hate going to football with him. No matter if I played good or I played bad, I'd get in the car and be reduced to tears," he revealed.

Walker’s father, Michael, who immigrated to England from Jamaica in his late teens, met Walker’s mother, Tracey, soon after arriving. Despite the tough love, Walker now recognizes that his father’s methods were rooted in care and a desire to see his son succeed. "I don't blame him for that because it made me the person and the player I am today," Walker explained. "At the start of my career, I was always trying to prove my dad wrong. He did it because he cared."

Walker shares four sons with his wife Annie: Roman, 11, Riaan, seven, Reign, five, and Rezon, who is just four months old. In addition, Walker has two children with Lauryn Goodman, a four-year-old son named Kairo and a 12-month-old daughter, Kinara. Despite the challenges of raising a blended family, Walker is determined to instill in all his children the same values that helped him rise to the top of his sport.

"With my kids now I don't let them win. If I keep letting them win, when they lose it will be traumatic for them," he said.

"We play football games in the garden and I give it my all because it will instil that into them, they will be better people and become winners. My dad's parents were from Jamaica and left him in England with £200 and a washer when he was 17. So, he passed it down from his parents to me. I try to not do the same as much as possible. But where he taught me to be a winner I try to pass that on to the boys."

Walker expressed a certain nostalgia for the sense of community that existed on the estate, something he feels his own children are missing out on. While he acknowledges the privileges his wealth has afforded his children, Walker insists they are not spoiled and that they must learn to entertain themselves. "They have the privileges of having nice things, but the kids have to entertain themselves. They play with their brothers, and that’s it," he said.

"I wish sometimes I could put them on an estate to mingle with different people and have different friends. When I was growing up, you’d go and call for your mates."

Walker is currently navigating a complex personal life. The footballer is working to repair his relationship with his wife, Annie Kilner, following revelations that he fathered two children with Lauryn Goodman during their marriage. He could next be in action this weekend, when City face Ipswich Town.