Jordan Pickford claims he is “getting better” and warned James Trafford he won’t give up the England number one shirt without a fight.
Pickford has been first choice for his country ever since making his international debut in 2017 but had to watch from the bench as Trafford was preferred for England’s Nations League games with Spain and Czechia over the last week.
The Everton goalkeeper’s presence at Friday’s news conference suggests he will start Saturday’s game against Croatia in Rijeka and Pickford rubbished suggestions it was time for Trafford to be given a run.
“I’m 32 now, you see keepers playing still at 40, still playing at the highest level. It’s about me focusing on myself; I set myself my own goals,” he said.
“I want to push boundaries and keep improving and keep going to be the best version of myself. I’ll never stop until I stop. I’m not slowing down, I think I’m only getting better.”
Pickford has not had much competition for a place between the sticks in recent years but Trafford has impressed when playing in England’s various youth categories and has made a promising start to his career at Leeds after moving to Elland Road from Manchester City over the summer.
“I feel for me personally it’s always good to have good competition, I’ve always said in interviews I’ve always wanted that competition,” added Pickford. “We have a good crop of goalkeepers coming through and it’s a credit to England to have that and may it continue for longer.
“I’ll always push myself to be the best version of me and keep getting those caps. You can’t let your foot off the gas at any time, you want to push yourself to be who you want to be.”
Pickford happy with how he’s coped being back-up
Despite performing an unaccustomed back-up role this week, former Sunderland stopper Pickford has been pleased with how he’s adapted.
“Yeah it is not often I do that [be back-up],” he said. “Club or country.
“The manager told me the reasons why. It was good for me to see where I’m at. It’s about me being a good team-mate with good energy around the place and train well and have that leadership role. I think I’ve done it really well over the last two games.
“It’s not normal for me, but first and foremost, the manager asks to be the best team-mate. I love playing but if I’m watching, I just want the best for England and that’s to win and I think I dealt with it really well.
“It was different, but we have also been together in a cycle now for two years. Traff’s started really well for Leeds. It’s been a good unit around us for the last two years. That’s what the manager said and you have to respect that decision.”
Pickford wants World Cup repeat when England take on Croatia
Saturday’s game is a repeat of England’s opening game of the 2026 World Cup finals which they won 4-2 in Dallas after a strong second-half display.
And Pickford is hoping for a similar front-footed approach as England look to build on Tuesday’s 2-0 victory in Prague.
He said: “Yeah I think it’s visible to see how aggressive we were in the second half against Croatia at the World Cup and we didn’t let our foot of the gas. I think it was a bit edgy…first group game of the World Cup. It was always going to be a bit cagey, we wanted the second half to be the first half because of the standards we set ourselves.”
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