England v Spain - UEFA Nations League 2026/27 Group A3 MD1
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 26: Myles Lewis-Skelly, James Trafford and Harry Kane of England sing the national anthem before the UEFA Nations League 2026/27 group phase match between England and Spain at Wembley Stadium on September 26, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by David Ramos - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)
You could not go online on Saturday night without seeing Everton fans foaming at the mouth over Leeds United’s James Trafford.
In the summer, Leeds made a huge statement in pursuit of improving the goalkeeper position. Karl Darlow and Lucas Perri left while the 49ers broke our transfer record to sign James Trafford from Manchester City.
For Leeds, the upside is obvious, and the same can be said for Trafford too. He’s at a club where he’s the main man, and that opens the door to push to cement his place as the heir to Jordan Pickford’s No1 spot at England.
Leeds United’s James Trafford subject to Everton vitriol after England 2-3 Spain
If you had the displeasure of opening social media before, during, or after England’s narrow 2-3 defeat to European and World champions Spain on Saturday night, you’ll have noticed a very inescapable truth. That truth being that Everton fans with fight for Jordan Pickford like their lives depend on it.
You can understand that sentiment, Everton’s stalwart ‘keeper has rarely been given his flowers at international level. However, in trying to defend Pickford’s Three Lions legacy, Toffees fans instead took their anger out on Trafford. Backing Pickford quickly became slating Trafford’s mere presence between the sticks. It seemed many were incapable of appreciating Thomas Tuchel’s thought process in choosing him.
The Leeds man started in goal and had to pick the ball out of his net almost immediately. That was thanks to Marc Guehi handing Lamine Yamal a 1v1, as the world class winger finished well. Trafford then spared his defence’s blushes not long after with a smart save to deny Ferran Torres.
After England took the lead, calamity from those in front of Trafford allowed Spain back into the lead. First Nico O’Reilly gave possession away cheaply in England’s third, as Alex Baena wrapped a beauty in from the edge of the box. Then, England’s defence failed to mark Mikel Oyarzabal, who confidently chipped the onrushing Trafford to secure Nations League victory.
Any rational non-Evertonian watching on thought the same thing: Trafford didn’t play poorly, and was helpless for all three goals. The blue half of Merseyside, though, flocked en masse to X to throw venom at Trafford for what they perceive as the same things Pickford usually gets stick for.
Again, it’s an understandable reaction after years of Pickford getting that treatment. But, it comes across bitter when Trafford hasn’t put a foot wrong for Leeds and wasn’t remotely ‘bad’ for England.
Thomas Tuchel hushes Everton, James Trafford fury with bold stance on Leeds United star
Already, you can tell Tuchel rates Trafford. Starting him in the first fixture after our World Cup exit to Argentina, against the winners, is a bold statement of backing.
Conceding three obviously doesn’t help Trafford’s stock. But, the England boss isn’t too fussed, despite what the online Toffees fanbase have convinced themselves.
“I’m not a specialist for goalkeeping so that it’s clear for analysing performances,” said Tuchel, per LeedsLive. “But I think he deserved to get two matches, that’s why we gave him two matches.
“He started the Premier League season well, he gets minutes as number one in Leeds. Jordan (Pickford) did absolutely nothing wrong but we want to use this competition to see how far actually James is in these two weeks so he gets these two matches.
“I am convinced that it’s better to get two matches and not just one match so he can learn from the organisation, he can learn from what happened and straight away grow into it and be a part of the defensive and offensive build up unit.
“So he gets the next match as well and then Jordan gets the two matches against Czech Republic and Croatia in Wembley.”
One game, dominated by defensive calamity, isn’t enough to judge Trafford, in Tuchel’s words.
He’s earned the right to be in these conversations, though, and Tuchel is more than happy to give him a chance to continue proving that away to Czechia.
Of course, the only way Trafford can repay that faith is by putting Spain behind him and getting a clean sheet in Prague. Anything other than a shutout, and a certain fanbase will be champing at the bit to spew some more.