Has Jordan Pickford Finally Earned His Due Recognition?

Is it time to give record – England’s goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is poised to etch his name into the history books when he takes on Norway in the World Cup quarter-final match scheduled for Miami. The 32-year-old Everton custodian is set to surpass Peter Shilton’s long-standing record by making his 18th World Cup appearance for the Three Lions. This milestone comes on the heels of an exceptional individual performance that helped England secure a 3-2 victory over Mexico at The Azteca stadium during the round of 16.

What makes Pickford’s achievement even more remarkable is that he has maintained his position as England’s undisputed first-choice goalkeeper throughout his career, reaching his 90th international cap while competing in his fifth major tournament. His consistency at both club and international level has been nothing short of extraordinary, prompting many to question whether the Wearsider has finally received the acknowledgment his remarkable record deserves.

A Statistical Powerhouse

Pickford’s Premier League statistics paint a compelling picture of his reliability. Over the past two league seasons, he has accumulated 23 clean sheets, placing him second only to Arsenal’s David Raya, who has recorded 32 during the same period. The comparison is particularly impressive given that the two goalkeepers play for teams with vastly different ambitions and resources.

At the international level, the numbers are equally impressive. In his 89 appearances for England, Pickford has conceded just 59 goals while keeping 44 clean sheets. According to Opta statistics, he has made only two errors that directly resulted in goals—a testament to his concentration and technical ability. These figures underscore why former England goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes Pickford’s contributions have been consistently undervalued throughout his career.

“I think he has been under-appreciated for Everton and England when you look at the numbers he’s posting, the games he is playing and the number of clean sheets he has,” Robinson told BBC Sport. “He is only second behind David Raya in the last two seasons for clean sheets and they are playing for very different teams.”

Evolution as a Goalkeeper

Robinson has been particularly vocal about Pickford’s development, noting that the goalkeeper has matured both personally and professionally. “I think he’s worked on himself,” Robinson observed. “He’s an excellent shot-stopper, his distribution is second to none. He’s worked on his distribution. You can see his long distribution is superb, which England used as a weapon in Mexico – it led to one of the goals.”

Pickford’s evolution extends beyond his shot-stopping abilities. He has also refined his short distribution, contributing to England’s overall build-up play. His ability to contribute offensively while maintaining defensive solidity has made him an invaluable asset for both Everton and the national team.

“I also think he’s worked on his short distribution as well and I think he’s evolved as a goalkeeper and a person. I really like what I see,” Robinson added.

Tournament Pedigree

Since making his England debut against Germany at Wembley in November 2017, Pickford has established himself as the nation’s premier tournament goalkeeper. He has made 14 appearances at the European Championships, where England has unfortunately fallen short in the past two finals. His first major tournament was the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where England reached the semi-finals before being eliminated by Croatia in Moscow.

The depth of his experience is evident when compared to potential alternatives. Before this tournament, Robinson noted that out of the five goalkeepers who could have been selected alongside Pickford, they had collectively played only 11 competitive games. This stark contrast highlights how far ahead Pickford stands in terms of tournament experience.

“As a nation, we have again gone into a major tournament with a keeper who has racked up the caps, while others beneath him have only got a handful,” Robinson explained. “I checked the stats before this tournament, and out of the five goalkeepers who could have been picked alongside Jordan Pickford, they had 11 competitive games between them.”

Consensus Choice

When Thomas Tuchel took charge of England, some speculated that he might prefer a different goalkeeper. However, much like his predecessor Sir Gareth Southgate, Tuchel has maintained Pickford as his undisputed number one. This continuity has reinforced Pickford’s position and demonstrated that his performances have won over coaches regardless of their preferences.

Robinson emphasized that Pickford has achieved something rare in English football: he has silenced the critics. “The biggest credit you can give Jordan Pickford is that that noise isn’t there. He’s been that good. There’s nobody saying it shouldn’t be him. The noise hasn’t been there for a very long time because he is [consistent],” Robinson concluded.

As England prepares to face Norway in Miami, Pickford stands on the verge of breaking yet another record. Whether he can help England go further this time around remains to be seen, but his individual achievements have certainly placed him among the nation’s most decorated goalkeepers in history.