It has taken four long years, but Kyle Walker finally looks ready to show why he was once rated above Gareth Bale and Sergio Aguero.

Walker beat both attacking stars to the PFA Young Player of the Year award in 2012, but only now is he maturing into the England right back many hoped he would be.

On a night where England fans took to the dreaded Mexican Wave at Wembley to keep flagging spirits up, the Tottenham right back was the only one in a white shirt to provide consistent quality on the pitch.

The speed and dynamism which saw him honoured by his peers a few seasons ago was there in abundance as he changed defence into attack on several occasions.

It's exactly what will be required of him at Euro 2016, especially if coach Roy Hodgson opts to persist with the diamond midfield formation.

At the age of 26, this will be Walker's first major Championships as an England international, but he looks better equipped to handle the challenge.

It could be argued that winning a PFA trophy so early in his career raised expectations too high too soon or led to some degree of complacency in his performances.

Walker's game did seem to stagnate at Spurs for a while, although it was injury that caused him to miss out on both Euro 2012 and the last World Cup.

Player Ratings: How England performed in their Euro 2016 warm-up matches 27 show all Player Ratings: How England performed in their Euro 2016 warm-up matches 1/27 Roy Hodgson's 23-man England squad for Euro 2016... Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images 2/27 Joe Hart Age: 29

Club: Man City

Position: GK



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 6/10 2015 Getty Images 3/27 Fraser Forster Age: 28

Club: Southampton

Position: GK



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A 2016 Getty Images 4/27 Tom Heaton Age: 30

Club: Burnley

Position: GK



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: N/A David Davies/PA 5/27 Ryan Bertrand Age: 26

Club: Southampton

Position: LB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A Clive Rose/Getty Images 6/27 Gary Cahill Age: 30

Club: Chelsea

Position: CB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 6/10 2016 Getty Images 7/27 Chris Smalling Age: 26

Club: Man United

Position: CB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 5/10



vs Portugal: 6/10 2016 Getty Images 8/27 Nathaniel Clyne Age: 25

Club: Southampton

Position: RB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A 2016 Getty Images 9/27 Danny Rose Age: 25

Club: Tottenham

Position: LB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 7/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 7/10 2016 Getty Images 10/27 Kyle Walker Age: 25

Club: Tottenham

Position: RB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 8/10 2016 Getty Images 11/27 John Stones Age: 21

Club: Everton

Position: CB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 5/10



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A 2016 Getty Images 12/27 Dele Alli Age: 20

Club: Tottenham

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 6/10 2016 Getty Images 13/27 Eric Dier Age: 22

Club: Tottenham

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: 5/10



vs Portugal: 5/10 2016 Getty Images 14/27 Jack Wilshere Age: 24

Club: Arsenal

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: 6/10 Alex Livesey/Getty Images 15/27 Jordan Henderson Age: 25

Club: Liverpool

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 5/10



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A 2016 Getty Images 16/27 James Milner Age: 30

Club: Liverpool

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: 4/10 2016 Getty Images 17/27 Adam Lallana Age: 28

Club: Liverpool

Position: AM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A 2016 Getty Images 18/27 Raheem Sterling Age: 21

Club: Man City

Position: AM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: 6/10 2015 Getty Images 19/27 Ross Barkley Age: 22

Club: Everton

Position: AM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A Shaun Botterill/Getty Images 20/27 Harry Kane Age: 22

Club: Tottenham

Position: ST



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 7/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 5/10 Shaun Botterill/Getty Images 21/27 Wayne Rooney Age: 30

Club: Man United

Position: ST



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 7/10



vs Portugal: 4/10 2015 Getty Images 22/27 Daniel Sturridge Age: 26

Club: Liverpool

Position: ST



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: N/A 2016 Getty Images 23/27 Jamie Vardy Age: 29

Club: Leicester

Position: ST



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 5/10 2016 Getty Images 24/27 Marcus Rashford Age: 18

Club: Manchester United

Position: ST



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 8/10



vs Portugal: N/A The FA via Getty Images 25/27 Andros Townsend Age: 24

Club: Newcastle

Position: AM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 5/10



vs Portugal: N/A



Has not been included in Hodgson's 23-man squad. 2015 Getty Images 26/27 Danny Drinkwater Age: 26

Club: Leicester

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: 5/10



vs Portugal: N/A



Has not been included in Hodgson's 23-man squad. 2016 Getty Images 27/27 Fabian Delph Age: 26

Club: Man City

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: N/A



Has not been included in Hodgson's 23-man squad. Getty Images 1/27 Roy Hodgson's 23-man England squad for Euro 2016... Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images 2/27 Joe Hart Age: 29

Club: Man City

Position: GK



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 6/10 2015 Getty Images 3/27 Fraser Forster Age: 28

Club: Southampton

Position: GK



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A 2016 Getty Images 4/27 Tom Heaton Age: 30

Club: Burnley

Position: GK



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: N/A David Davies/PA 5/27 Ryan Bertrand Age: 26

Club: Southampton

Position: LB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A Clive Rose/Getty Images 6/27 Gary Cahill Age: 30

Club: Chelsea

Position: CB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 6/10 2016 Getty Images 7/27 Chris Smalling Age: 26

Club: Man United

Position: CB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 5/10



vs Portugal: 6/10 2016 Getty Images 8/27 Nathaniel Clyne Age: 25

Club: Southampton

Position: RB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A 2016 Getty Images 9/27 Danny Rose Age: 25

Club: Tottenham

Position: LB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 7/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 7/10 2016 Getty Images 10/27 Kyle Walker Age: 25

Club: Tottenham

Position: RB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 8/10 2016 Getty Images 11/27 John Stones Age: 21

Club: Everton

Position: CB



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 5/10



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A 2016 Getty Images 12/27 Dele Alli Age: 20

Club: Tottenham

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 6/10 2016 Getty Images 13/27 Eric Dier Age: 22

Club: Tottenham

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: 5/10



vs Portugal: 5/10 2016 Getty Images 14/27 Jack Wilshere Age: 24

Club: Arsenal

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: 6/10 Alex Livesey/Getty Images 15/27 Jordan Henderson Age: 25

Club: Liverpool

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 5/10



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A 2016 Getty Images 16/27 James Milner Age: 30

Club: Liverpool

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: 4/10 2016 Getty Images 17/27 Adam Lallana Age: 28

Club: Liverpool

Position: AM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A 2016 Getty Images 18/27 Raheem Sterling Age: 21

Club: Man City

Position: AM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: 6/10 2015 Getty Images 19/27 Ross Barkley Age: 22

Club: Everton

Position: AM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 6/10



vs Portugal: N/A Shaun Botterill/Getty Images 20/27 Harry Kane Age: 22

Club: Tottenham

Position: ST



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 7/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 5/10 Shaun Botterill/Getty Images 21/27 Wayne Rooney Age: 30

Club: Man United

Position: ST



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 7/10



vs Portugal: 4/10 2015 Getty Images 22/27 Daniel Sturridge Age: 26

Club: Liverpool

Position: ST



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: N/A 2016 Getty Images 23/27 Jamie Vardy Age: 29

Club: Leicester

Position: ST



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: 5/10 2016 Getty Images 24/27 Marcus Rashford Age: 18

Club: Manchester United

Position: ST



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 8/10



vs Portugal: N/A The FA via Getty Images 25/27 Andros Townsend Age: 24

Club: Newcastle

Position: AM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: 5/10



vs Portugal: N/A



Has not been included in Hodgson's 23-man squad. 2015 Getty Images 26/27 Danny Drinkwater Age: 26

Club: Leicester

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: 6/10



vs Australia: 5/10



vs Portugal: N/A



Has not been included in Hodgson's 23-man squad. 2016 Getty Images 27/27 Fabian Delph Age: 26

Club: Man City

Position: CM



Performance Ratings

vs Turkey: N/A



vs Australia: N/A



vs Portugal: N/A



Has not been included in Hodgson's 23-man squad. Getty Images

Still, it can't be a coincidence that he has earned a total of just 16 caps in the five years since he made his debut against Spain.

Clearly, working under coach Mauricio Pochettino for the last two seasons at White Hart Lane is paying dividends for he seems quicker and fitter than ever before.

Granted there is still scope for the odd defensive lapse, but it would be a surprise now if he doesn't start against Russia a week tomorrow rather than Liverpool's Nathaniel Clyne.

Tottenham team-mate Harry Kane certainly feels Walker's current standard of playing is as good as ever.

When asked by Standard Sport if Walker was back to the level which grabbed the attention of the PFA voters in 2012, he said: "Yes. He's been great for Tottenham all season and has come in to do a great job for England as well.

"That's what you want. You need players at the top of their game going into a tournament. I feel that we have that at the moment.

"We went with the diamond against Portugal and Kyle, along with Danny Rose at left back, helped provide the width.

"They have great pace, which obviously means they can get back into position well. We will use that this summer."

With England facing Wales in their second group game at Euro 2016, they will certainly be hoping that Walker gets the better of Bale again.