Tottenham fullback Kyle Walker says England's youngsters should take tournament experience seriously.

Walker, who has earned five senior caps having been part of the Under 19 squad at Euro 2009, believes the experience he had provided a sound footing from which he could make an impact at the highest level.

He said: "It's vital experience for younger players. I went to Ukraine for the Euro finals, and just to play tournament football and be away from home for a longer period of time was a massive learning curve for me.

"It makes you grow up a lot quicker too. I didn't play for the Under 16s or Under 17s, as I was a centre-forward in those days, which was very different to being a full-back.

"But I got my chance when I was playing full-back for the 19s, then the 21s and now the seniors."