Everton's Jordan Pickford can go on to become the best ever England goalkeeper reckons Kevin Phillips
Everton’s Jordan Pickford can go on to become the best England goalkeeper of all time.
That’s the verdict of prolific former Premier League striker Kevin Phillips, who was a Three Lions team-mate of David Seaman.
Shortly after his move to Goodison Park in 2017, Pickford made his international debut, keeping a clean sheet in a goalless draw at Wembley against then World Cup holders Germany on November 10 and he has remained undisputed first choice for England ever since.
The 32-year-old goes into his third World Cup finals on 84 caps and has passed the totals of David Seaman and Joe Hart (both 75) to become the country’s most capped goalkeeper after Peter Shilton, who retains England’s overall international appearance record on 125.
Unlike Shilton, who unfortunately didn’t get close to any of West Germany’s efforts at Italia ‘90 as Bobby Robson’s side missed out on a place in the World Cup final, Pickford has saved at least one penalty in each of four shoot-outs with the Three Lions, including two in the European Championship final against Italy in 2021 and he even scored the pressure fifth kick in a 6-5 victory over Switzerland in 2019. He has also already broken Shilton’s record for the most clean sheets for an England goalkeeper in major tournaments (he is currently on 12).
Speaking courtesy of BestBettingSites.co.uk, former Sunderland ace Phillips, told the ECHO: “He gets ridiculed, certainly from the Newcastle fans. But Jordan loves it, He embraces it, and it makes him perform better.
“For me, he could potentially go on to be the best England goalkeeper of all time. And that’s a big statement.
“But he’s made an awful lot of appearances. He’s pulled off some unbelievable saves this season for Everton.
“He never ever lets England down. I can’t even remember when he’s let them down.
“He’s a great character. Like I say, he embraces that stick or that criticism.
“He doesn’t get too much of it from me, that’s for sure, because he is a world-class goalkeeper. No doubt he’ll prove it again this summer.”