AliousDespite England’s 2-1 loss to Spain in the European Championship final, Jordan Pickford’s exceptional performance as goalkeeper has silenced his critics.
His crucial saves in the second half kept England competitive, even though Spain’s superior quality ultimately prevailed in Berlin.
As England’s goalkeeper, Pickford has faced unwarranted criticism for too long.
Now, as the nation reflects on another near-miss, it’s time to reassess Pickford’s value to the team.
His credentials are clear: only David Raya kept more Premier League clean sheets last season, with Pickford securing 13.
In the final, Pickford truly shone.
After a quiet first half, he made several key saves following Spain’s opening goal, including two stops against young star Lamine Yamal.
He also effectively dealt with dangerous crosses as England faced increasing pressure.
Pickford has now surpassed Peter Shilton’s record for most clean sheets by an England goalkeeper in major tournaments.
His performance places him among England’s goalkeeping legends like Gordon Banks, while at club level, he’s Everton’s best since Neville Southall.
With 68 caps and no statistical blame for goals conceded in competitive matches, Pickford has joined an elite group of goalkeepers to play in two European Championship finals.
Although both ended in defeat, his performances deserve greater recognition from the English public beyond Everton supporters.
Alious
