Theo Walcott is confident England's Under 21s can win the European Championship and he believes the experience will stand him in good stead for next summer's World Cup with the senior side.

Walcott has established himself as a key figure in Fabio Capello's full England team over the past 18 months.

England have won their first seven World Cup qualifiers and are on the brink of making it through to the 2010 competition in South Africa.

But for now Walcott's focus is on the Under 21 event in Sweden and he is glad to have helped Stuart Pearce's youngsters into the semi-finals.

The winger, left out of the starting line-up against Spain on Thursday, feels England's Under 21s have enough quality to lift the trophy.

"It's just good to be involved in the tournament and it'll be a great experience for me, with the World Cup hopefully to come," Walcott said in the Daily Star.

"I missed it a couple of years ago, so it's nice to be involved this time and I think we have the potential to win it.

"It'd be great to bring a trophy back to England."

Theo Walcott's blossoming Arsenal career has been blighted by a series of shoulder injuries. However, the pacey winger believes that he will soon re-gain an exemplary run of form, and burst once more onto the Premier League and international scene.

Walcott went under the knife earlier in the season in an attempt to rid him of the problematic shoulder complaints, and the burgeoning English starlet is hoping he can now close the chapter on the injuries.

The Arsenal forward though has today revealed that he still feels pain while playing competitive football. He told Sport, "My shoulder feels as strong as anything now. I think I'm still holding it slightly when I'm running to be honest - I've watched myself a few times on the TV and noticed that I've got my arm to one side.

"It's a natural thing, subconscious really, but I'm trying to get out of it and it's not something that anyone else has brought up to me. I'm still running fine, and getting whacked sometimes!"

Regarding his form, he said, "I started well against Blackburn and Tony Colbert [Arsenal's fitness coach] said my intense running was very good as well.

"Apart from the Manchester game last week, I think things are going very well. It's been good to get on the scoresheet lately too, but I just want to be on the winning team."

Sir Alex Ferguson believes Patrice Evra can handle the threat of Theo Walcott in the Champions League semi-final.

The Manchester United left back has been given a severe examination by Aaron Lennon on two occasions this year and faces a winger with similar acceleration in Walcott.

The Arsenal livewire looks certain to be handed a start as The Gunners seek to breach a defence that has looked less than secure of late in pursuit of crucial away goals.

Evra appeared to have recovered his form before being exposed by Lennon on a couple of occasions on Saturday and will need to be at his best against the England youngster.

"Patrice is quick enough to deal with that," explained Ferguson.

"He's played against Walcott a few times.

"We are all right with that.

"When you are playing against good players, you have got to assess everything about them in the sense of looking at the best way to oppose them and we have to do our homework in that respect because the boy Walcott is very quick.

Theo Walcott admits that he aims to emulate Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo ahead of their UEFA Champions League semi-final showdown.

Arsenal travel to Old Trafford for the first-leg on Wednesday night with the 20-year-old in fine form, having bagged three goals in his last five outings.

And the England international has revealed that he aspires to have the same impact for the Gunners as Ronaldo has for the Red Devils.

The two wide men go head to head at the Theatre of Dreams and the former Southampton youngster knows his side need to keep the Portuguese ace quiet, along with striker Wayne Rooney, if they are to progress to the final.

"Ronaldo is the best player in world for me," he told The Sun.

"He only needs to walk on to the pitch to have defenders scared straight away. That's the message I want to send out.

"I want left-backs to see my name on the team-sheet and be afraid of me even before we've kicked off.

Arsenal forward Theo Walcott recently attended a Nike Fives event in the north of London, and when quizzed on which Gunner could get themselves out of sticky situations with the greatest ease, the 20-year-old cited Abou Diaby as his choice.

"To be fair, Abou Diaby’s got a few tricks – and you normally wouldn’t expect him to do that sort of stuff," said the England international.

"But there are a few like that, because obviously the way Arsenal play football is quick and in five-a-side football you have to be quick.

"You have to use your skills to get you out of tight situations and that happens a lot at Arsenal and it shows on an open pitch."

Playing down his own obvious talent to praise those of his fellow team-mates, Walcott stated that he doesn't like to conduct himself as much of an exhibitionist, and that he is more interested in getting on the scoresheet.

"I’m not the skilful type – as long as the ball goes in the back of the net, I’m happy," Walcott concluded.