KANSAS CITY, KANSAS - JULY 14: Jordan Pickford #1 of England poses for a photograph during an England Training session one day ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Semi Final match on July 14, 2026 in Kansas City, Kansas. (Photo by Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
Jordan Pickford poses for a photograph during England's final training session before their World Cup semi-final against Argentina (Image: Eddie Keogh - The FA/The FA via Getty Images)
View 2 Images
Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is an England record-breaker who tonight (Wednesday) could help his country to their first World Cup final in 60 years.
The keeper is set to start in goal for the Three Lions in their semi-final showdown with holders Argentina in Atlanta. If he does, he will win his 91st cap, 19 of which will have come in World Cup finals, which is a record for England.
Since his international debut in November 2017, Pickford has been the country's first-choice goalkeeper. However, back in his school days, the 32-year-old was a promising midfielder.
A pupil under Jim Welch at St Robert of Newminster Catholic School in his home town of Washington, the shot-stopper was a prolific performer in the centre of the park.
Mr Welch, 71, told the ECHO ahead of Pickford's first return to Sunderland in November: “I played him in midfield. You could get away with it in schoolboy football and put anyone in goal as he would have been wasted in goal and he wanted to play out as well.
“It was similar when he first went to Sunderland after school. They’d play him across the back, they must have known what goalkeepers were going to be like in the future and foresaw it.
“He used to love it. He was a hard player, and he could score from 30 yards out as he had a very powerful kick, even at that age.
“You can see from his distribution from goalkeeping, he can kick it far upfield and his direction is good, he can hit passes 50-60 yards to a player. While he enjoyed it, I don’t think he’d have made it as an outfield player.”
Mr Welch laughed when asked whether Pickford has always been a wind-up merchant with the opposition and revealed that while his former student is now a consistent performer, his wild streak almost got the better of him in his final appearance for his school team as a 16-year-old.
He said: “He’s always been like that. He’s calmed down a lot though because when he was younger, he used to tackle knee height when he played for me.
“In fact, in his last game for me, the referee told me that I’d have to take him off otherwise he’d send him off. He still remembers that as I saw him a couple of months ago and we talked about it.
“He’s definitely cut a lot of the mistakes out of his game and has matured. There was a game at St James’ Park (in 2019) when Everton were winning 2-0 but lost 3-2 and the Newcastle crowd were winding him up, but I think that proved a turning point for him and he learned a lot from that one.”
Jordan Pickford's PE teacher Jim Welch displays a photo of the Everton goalkeeper from his school year book with a close-up of his personal entry (inset)
Jordan Pickford's PE teacher Jim Welch displays a photo of the Everton goalkeeper from his school year book with a close-up of his personal entry (inset)
View 2 Images
Pickford is a boyhood Sunderland fan but after their relegation from the Premier League in 2017, under his current club manager David Moyes, he made the move to Everton for an initial fee of £25m.
It has proven money well spent and after last season signing a extension to stay at Hill Dickinson Stadium until 2029, he looks poised to finish his club career with the Blues.
Mr Welch, who is a Sunderland fan himself, said: “I know all of his family. His mother worked with me at the school as a secretary when I was a PE teacher and his grandmother was a secretary too.
“His grandfather worked at the school as a caretaker and odd job man while even his dad has helped us out with jobs at the school as well. They’ve all been there.
“He’s still got a lot of friends up here. When he comes up, he still sees his mates who he’s known for years and he doesn’t forget about them.
“We’re all delighted to see the way he’s established himself. He’s been amazing.
“Sticking with Everton has been a good thing for him. I think he loves that club as much as he loves Sunderland.
“He was loyal when he was at Sunderland. I’d go as far as saying he wouldn’t touch Newcastle with a barge pole!”
A version of this article was first published in November.