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The closing 20 minutes of England’s thrilling Round-of-16 triumph over Mexico were tailor-made for Jordan Pickford. With the Three Lions reduced to 10 men, manager Thomas Tuchel made the plan simple — defend deep and keep the ball as far away from goal as possible. Pickford executed the task flawlessly.

It was a tense, exhausting watch for England supporters as their side clung to a 3-2 victory built on a heroic defensive stand. Pickford seemed to thrive in that chaos, proving once again that his energy and personality are as vital as his shot-stopping ability. When the situation demands resilience, Pickford is always ready to lead by example.

Yet despite his consistency, he often remains underappreciated. Perhaps it’s because he’s still seen as a cheeky lad from Sunderland, or because he plays for Everton — a club not often in European competitions, let alone the Champions League. Maybe it’s because his rare errors tend to stick longer in people’s minds than his countless match-winning saves.

Whatever the reason, the evidence is clear: Pickford deserves recognition as one of England’s finest goalkeepers. His commanding display at the Azteca reinforced that reputation, and he’ll need to maintain that level if England are to fulfil their World Cup ambitions.

A Shaky Beginning

The tournament’s start wasn’t ideal for Pickford. His showing against Croatia wasn’t poor, yet it fell short of his usual high standards. He managed to get a hand to Martin Baturina’s effort but couldn’t keep it out as Croatia equalised at 1-1 in the first half. Some of his passing was also uncertain, with Tuchel visibly frustrated on the touchline in Dallas after a few misplaced distributions.

Another nervous moment arrived against Ghana, when Pickford narrowly escaped a red card after rushing off his line, missing the ball, and colliding with Prince Adu. Only the force of the Ghanaian forward’s challenge spared him from being sent off in an otherwise lifeless 0-0 draw.

Against DR Congo in the last-32 clash in Atlanta, Pickford was beaten at his near post by Brian Cipenga as the opposition took the lead. Had Harry Kane not turned the game around with two late goals, Pickford would likely have faced heavy criticism.

‘Deserves Every Bit of Praise’

That context made his performance at the Azteca even more significant. England were always going to have to absorb pressure in Mexico City, and Pickford rose to the challenge magnificently.

Raul Jimenez had the first big chance of the match, meeting a cross at the near post, but Pickford reacted sharply to push it wide. The Mexico striker tested him again before the break, this time with a powerful header that Pickford palmed over the bar. Instead of conceding an equaliser, England went into halftime holding a valuable 2-1 lead.

In the closing stages, Pickford was at his commanding best. He barked instructions to his defenders, claimed crosses with authority, and made vital interventions. By full-time, he had registered five punches, three crucial saves, and several key clearances.

“He’s not the most elegant to watch, but my god, he’s effective, dependable, and thrives in big moments,” former England goalkeeper Joe Hart said on BBC. “To be England’s number one for so long, to keep improving and stepping up in huge games — he deserves every bit of praise coming his way.”

Record-Breaker

Hart’s comments highlight a long-standing truth — Pickford has never quite received the admiration he merits. Even Tuchel reminded reporters before the tournament that competition exists in every position, including goalkeeper, with Dean Henderson impressing at Crystal Palace.

Still, Pickford’s England record is remarkable. Since debuting in November 2017, he has been a mainstay under Sir Gareth Southgate, starting every match across five consecutive major tournaments. If he starts against Norway on Saturday, he will surpass Peter Shilton’s record of 17 World Cup appearances — making him England’s most capped player on football’s biggest stage.

“I think he’s probably the best since my time,” Shilton remarked. “If you look at the record — World Cup semi-final, penalty saves — he’s right up there. I’d say he’s probably the best since I played, though David Seaman comes close.”

Repeated Heroics

Pickford has had his share of iconic moments. In 2018, he helped England end their penalty shootout curse by saving crucial spot-kicks against Colombia before starring in the quarter-final win over Sweden. In Euro 2020, he saved two penalties in the heartbreaking final loss to Italy at Wembley. Fast forward to 2024, and he again delivered in the quarter-finals, saving from Manuel Akanji as England edged Switzerland on penalties. Across World Cup and European Championship shootouts, he has saved four of 14 penalties faced.

“If it’s a penalty shootout, I wouldn’t want anyone else,” former England keeper Ben Foster said in 2024. “He treats it like showtime. If you could measure his adrenaline during those moments, it would be off the charts — like he’s had six double espressos.”

In normal play, Pickford’s reliability is equally impressive. Stats show he has made just one error leading to a goal since 2018 — an extraordinary record of consistency.

Mr Reliable

At club level, Pickford’s influence is just as significant. He is the Premier League’s longest-serving first-choice goalkeeper, having been Everton’s No.1 for nearly a decade. He won the club’s Player of the Season award in 2022, 2023, and 2024, and according to Opta, since the 2022-23 season, no goalkeeper has prevented more goals in the league.

“He’s a top-class goalkeeper who makes top saves week in, week out,” Hart said after the Mexico game.

While Pickford has made a few mistakes — including the infamous challenge on Virgil van Dijk that caused a severe injury — every Everton manager since 2017 has kept faith in him. His leadership and resilience have been crucial in helping the Toffees avoid relegation on multiple occasions.

Familiar Foe

Pickford will need to be at his best again in Miami on Saturday, facing a familiar adversary in Erling Haaland. The Manchester City striker has scored seven times against him in the Premier League — more than against most goalkeepers. Haaland has also netted in each of his last 14 games for Norway, amassing an astounding 27 goals in that stretch, including two superb strikes to knock Brazil out in the last 16.

But if the past few tournaments have shown anything, it’s that Pickford has a knack for delivering when the pressure is greatest. England may enter the match slight favourites, but Norway have taken the tougher path to this stage and look fresher after their smoother win over Brazil compared to England’s exhausting battle in Mexico City.

Once more, Pickford will likely be called upon at defining moments. The reassuring part for England fans? He almost always delivers.