Jordan Pickford is a certainty for England's World Cup squad but in his latest column for the Liverpool ECHO, Andy Dunn argues that he's not the only Everton player who deserves to be in there
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - DECEMBER 6: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall of Everton celebrates scoring a goal to make the score 1-0 with James Garner
during the Premier League match between Everton and Nottingham Forest at Hill Dickinson Stadium on December 6, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Richard Martin-Roberts - CameraSport via Getty Images)
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and James Garner are pushing for England call-ups as their excellent season for Everton continues (Image: Richard Martin-Roberts - CameraSport via Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Believe it or not, there was a time not long ago when the People’s Republic of Merseyside actually provided the England football manager with the bulk of his squad.
It did not do the hapless Roy Hodgson much good in Brazil in 2014, but nevertheless, Liverpool and Everton were the dominant providers of Three Lions personnel that summer.
There were 20 outfield players in the squad of 23 for the World Cup 12 years ago, and NINE of them were from Liverpool and Everton, six red and three blue.
Test your mates, it’s a decent quiz question to name all nine.
From Anfield, Glen Johnson, Steven Gerrard, Daniel Sturridge, Jordan Henderson, Raheem Sterling and Rickie Lambert.
From Goodison, Leighton Baines, Phil Jagielka and Ross Barkley.
It was the last time Everton had more than one outfield player in an England squad.
In fact, since then, Everton’s non-goalkeeping representation has been very limited.
John Stones made it to Euro 2016 as an Everton player but joined Manchester City after the tournament.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin made a couple of substitute’s appearances at Euro 2020, in 2021, but there were no Everton outfield players at World Cup 2022 (Conor Coady was on loan at Goodison when chosen but was a Wolves player) or at Euro 2024.
Which makes the challenge for places in Thomas Tuchel’s World Cup squad important.
Whatever your take on the England national team, if even one outfield player could join Jordan Pickford in the party, it would be a significant fillip for the club and its new era.
There are three in with chances of varying degrees: Jarrad Branthwaite, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall and James Garner.
For his consistent excellence, Garner, who has started all 29 Premier League games this season, deserves a senior call-up, especially as he has done his time - successful time - with the under-21s.
He is likely to be ahead of Dewsbury-Hall in Tuchel’s thoughts, particularly as he has shown versatility in recent weeks. That goes down well with international managers.
Branthwaite should have the strongest chance of making the World Cup cut but the competition for central defensive places is more intense than some consider it to be.
Jarrad Branthwaite of Everton celebrates his goal during the Premier League match between Newcastle United and Everton at St. James's Park in Newcastle, on February 28, 2026. (Photo by Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Jarrad Branthwaite celebrates after setting Everton on their way to victory at Newcastle United(Image: Michael Driver/MI News/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Aside from some off-the-field issues, Harry Maguire’s return to form puts him in the mix and John Stones’ performance at Newcastle the other night will have caught the eye of Tuchel, who is also a fan of Jarell Quansah and Trevor Chalobah.
Other contenders must include Fikayo Tomori and Levi Colwill.
It is a given that Marc Guehi and Ezra Konsa go, so Branthwaite’s task is a tough one, particularly as his England experience is limited to half an hour in a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
But Branthwaite will, touch wood, be fresher than most and still has relatively few miles on the clock. World Cup 2026 will be no place for tired players.
There is, though, still a good chance that Everton and Liverpool will not have a single outfield player representing England at the World Cup.
Would that matter? In Liverpool’s case, not really. Joe Gomez and Curtis Jones - the only ones with vaguely realistic chances of selection - are squad players at Anfield so cannot really be expected to get the nod.
But Branthwaite, Garner and Dewsbury-Hall - along with Pickford, of course - are at the core of this Everton team and its future.
And it would be nice for everyone involved at the club to see one of them get the recognition they deserve.