How Harry Kewell and the Socceroos helped produce an Arsenal hero

The irony of Theo Walcott touring Australia with the English Premier League trophy is that Australia, in some ways, is how it all began.

The year was 2003, and Walcott, now an Arsenal hero and former England representative, was glued to his television screen as the Socceroos played Jamaica in a friendly at Madejski Stadium in Reading in the United Kingdom.

With Jamaican heritage on his father’s side, Walcott was a supporter of the Carribean country – a loyalty that was superseded when he made his debut for England in 2006 – and the green, yellow and black flag was emblazoned on the back of his head with hairspray.

Walcott was already well on the path to professional football, but watching Australian winger Harry Kewell in that match inspired him to work even harder.

“What I remember from the match, well, there were so many bright colours with all the different shirts, Jamaica and Australia ... I had an imprint of the Jamaican flag on the back of my head,” he said.

“One memory that sticks in my mind is every time Harry Kewell got the ball, I enjoyed it ... it was just because he was an exciting player, it just kind of got me off my feet a bit, and they’re the players that I always [wanted] to become. And that’s how I played.”

Walcott continued to follow and watch Kewell as he played in the EPL, first for Leeds United, then Liverpool.

“When he got to Liverpool, I was following him a little bit more there, and he wore the No.7 shirt, and I always felt, I like you,” Walcott said. “The wingers that like to go on the outside, knows his job, does his role really well, assists goals, and the goals he scores.”

Only a few years later, Walcott’s own EPL dream would come true, and when he retired after the 2023 season he had played 419 games in the top flight – 270 of them for Arsenal, who are closing in on their first Premier League trophy since the 2003-04 season.

After the Gunners finished runners-up for the past three seasons, Walcott is confident they will lift the trophy this time. With eight matches left, Arsenal are on top of the ladder, seven points clear of Manchester City.

“I think it will still go down to the last few games, I really do,” he said. “I still feel like Manchester City will drop points. I still feel maybe Arsenal will drop points. However, everything has just fallen into [place].

“All the years leading up to now was the build-up of the next goal, which was to finish above City and Liverpool, that was the target. There’s a lot of chat in England particularly, and globally as well, [about] the way Arsenal are playing. It’s not pretty to watch, [but] I couldn’t care less, and I’m pretty sure a lot of the fans would say the same thing at this stage. It’s all about results.”

With Arsenal at the top, it’s Wolves, Burnley and West Ham who find themselves in the relegation zone, while both Ange Postecoglou’s former EPL clubs, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest, are teetering on the edge.

“I got relegated with Southampton; it’s not a nice feeling,” Walcott said.

“I was in the dressing room with a lot of young players that thought they’d be OK, or that there’s other important things. No, no, no, it’s really important. You don’t understand the aftermath, what it can create for people that work at the club, the fans, the weekends change. But they might win some more games in the championship.”

Theo Walcott is in Australia on a day-10 tour with the Premier League trophy with Stan Sport.

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