Footballer Walker aims to win when he's singing in Swedish Idol final

From sing when you’re winning to win when you’re singing – professional soccer player Kevin Walker is set to take the stage alongside Robbie Williams in the final of Sweden's Idol talent competition.

24-year-old midfielder Walker’s singing talent has taken him from the pitches of Sweden’s second-tier Superettan through the auditions and a grueling series of rounds of Idol, and all the way to the final at Stockholm’s Ericsson Globe Arena on Friday night.

“It’s been amazing. This autumn has been one to remember for the rest of my life. To combine the two – football and Idol – is something that should be impossible but it’s been made possible by all the people working around it.”

He is up against Elin Bergman, an 18-year-old singing sensation from Umea in northern Sweden, and both finalists will take the stage with million selling Robbie Williams as they seek to secure the votes of the watching millions.

“It’s pinch-your-arm, gobsmacked, totally unreal,” Walker says of the chance to share the stage with one of his heroes. “It’s going to be a hell of a night, he’s one of my biggest Idols, I admire him so much.”

Walker, who plays for GIF Sundsvall, has alternated between training and rehearsals, criss-crossing the country as he chased promotion with his club while wowing the viewers on the top-rated TV talent show.

His father Pat, himself a former soccer player, is from County Carlow in Ireland, and Kevin will be hoping his rendition of a U2 song will rock the Globe on Friday.

“I’ve sung one U2 song before, and this is going to be amazing. It’s a great song for an arena, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Walker is well-aware of how lucky he is to be living not one, but two childhood dreams – that of a professional football and of being a pop star.

“Reaching the World Cup finals is something you dream about as a boy,” he says. “They’re two big dreams, and I’m living one of them here – you can’t be too greedy!”

Kevin has been capped by the Swedish international soccer team at Under 21 level, but as yet his Eurovision options remain open. However, he’s unsure if he’ll be representing either country at the Eurovision finals in Copenhagen in May.

“I’m not sure about that!" he says, laughing. "I’m not in contention for the Swedish Melodifestvalen next year, not yet. But we’ll see what happens.

"You never know – we’ll leave a few stones unturned, and turn them over later!”

Having narrowly missed out on promotion to the Swedish top flight with Sundsvall, Walker may well end up winning when he's singing at the Ericsson Globe on Friday night.