Jordan Pickford picked up another clean sheet for England in their latest friendly, and now he’s receiving huge praise from a former Three Lions star.
The Everton goalkeeper earned his 79th cap for his national team on Thursday, with Thomas Tuchel’s side defeating Wales 3-0 at Wembley Stadium.
Pickford only had to make two saves throughout the game, but he broke Gordon Banks’ clean sheet record since 1966.
Pickford has now kept eight consecutive clean sheets for England, more than any other goalkeeper, and Everton fans were proud of his performance.
Despite suffering some criticism from non-Everton supporters, an England legend has now claimed he has had a better career than him on the international stage.
England v Wales - International Friendly
Photo by Kevin Hodgson/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Joe Hart believes Jordan Pickford has surpassed his England career
Pickford has been established as England’s first-choice goalkeeper for several years now, with Gareth Southgate putting him in that position, and he’s been rewarding the team ever since.
The 31-year-old hasn’t conceded a goal for England since their 2-1 defeat against Greece in the UEFA Nations League on October 10, 2024
His performances have earned plenty of praise over the years, and Joe Hart has now revealed to TNT Sports that he believes Pickford has overtaken what he did for England.
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“Faultless for England, he’s taken them to places I personally couldn’t take them”
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“He’s been excellent, absolutely excellent. Faultless for England. He’s taken them to places I personally couldn’t take them.
“Took them to the latter end of all the tournaments that he’s played in. He’s performed consistently well for Everton.”
With the World Cup next summer, Tuchel is using these international fixtures to assess his squad to determine who will be in his starting line-up.
While he hasn’t confirmed any player at this stage, Hart believes that Pickford will have earned his place in the team for the summer tournament.
“A lot can change in a season. Football is so fluid, but if he keeps his form and earns the trust of Thomas Tuchel like I know he is, I don’t think he’s let a goal in for him yet.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if he was [England’s No. 1] but also I know how football works.”
How do Joe Hart and Jordan Pickford compare for England?
While Hart believes that Pickford has surpassed what he was able to do for England, the former Manchester City goalkeeper still leads him in one statistic.
Hart kept 43 clean sheets for England throughout his international career, while Pickford gained his 41st against Wales, with only Peter Shilton ahead of them on 66.
Player Games Played Goals Conceded Clean Sheets Minutes Played
Joe Hart 75 48 41 6,450′
Jordan Pickford 79 53 43 7,305′
However, the most significant difference between them is how far the team has progressed in tournaments, with England having far greater success in Pickford’s era.
The Three Lions have reached two European Championship finals with Pickford as the first-choice goalkeeper, coming incredibly close to capturing some silverware.