When you sit down to watch the Sunday final, you will surely be surprised by the goalkeeper of England. You will see him shouting continuously at his teammates, the stands, and the bench. He will gesticulate constantly, even when the ball is 50 meters away from his goal. He will move his arms, his face, laugh with his opponents, and shout again. That man is Jordan Pickford, a 30-year-old goalkeeper who plays for Everton and has a unique personality.
"He sees everything and talks to us a lot. Well, not a lot, all the time," jokes John Stones, leader of England's defense, from the concentration in Blankenhain. "He's a bit annoying, but we love him. He has been very important for us in this tournament, I have nothing bad to say about him. He doesn't let us down and I hope he continues like this for many years," reflects Kyle Walker, the target of Pickford's shouts in many games.
The Everton goalkeeper has been key to England's success throughout this Eurocup. In the round of 16, he made several remarkable saves against Slovakia, and in the quarterfinals, he was the penalty shootout hero against Switzerland. The British had not won a continental shootout since the 1996 quarterfinals, precisely against Spain, and Pickford saved them. He did the same in the quarterfinals of the 2018 World Cup, also in the decisive moment from the penalty spot against Colombia. His secret? A note attached to his water bottle indicating the side where Swiss players usually shot. Something he will repeat against Spain if the match goes beyond 120 minutes.
He stopped a penalty from the Swiss player Drmic to finish third in the 2019 Nations League, and in the 2021 Eurocup, he did everything he could in the final against Italy, repelling the shots of Belotti and Jorginho. An achievement that was not enough to lift the trophy. With the rejection of Manuel Akanji in the quarterfinals, he has prevented 4 out of 14 penalties in major tournaments, a figure higher than the two saved by English goalkeepers between 1990 and 2012.
The goalkeeper position in the national team never seems well covered in England, but Pickford is on his way to making a name for himself in the country's history. Criticized in the Premier League for years, this season he has transformed and brought that evolution to the Three Lions despite not playing for one of the big clubs in the league. He was the second goalkeeper in the league, after David Raya, with the most clean sheets. And he is the second goalkeeper with the best save percentage in the Eurocups after Iker Casillas, considering those who have played 10 or more games.
"This is his character and it's hard to change," admitted Carlo Ancelotti during his time at Everton. The goalkeeper was uncontrollable because beyond the gestures, he made many mistakes on the field. "He has to focus on what he's doing, knowing his limitations and also understanding his strengths," explained the Italian coach, with a certain tact.
Now it seems that Pickford has learned how to manage himself, thanks also to the confidence of Gareth Southgate, who has always defended him despite the criticisms. "They say I'm loyal to him, but he has deserved it. There is no one seriously challenging him in that position," admits the coach in Blankenhain.
Pickford continues to shout and gesticulate, but he stops balls, which is ultimately the most important thing. "A couple of years ago, I started working with a psychologist," because I realized I needed to improve in some areas. And I think in the last two years, I have been in the best mental state of my life. I have changed as a person, but I have kept the passion," he admitted in a recent interview with Sky. "I was born with that passion and I have to balance it with the game, but without losing it," he added.
The goalkeeper was born in Sunderland and trained with the local team from the age of eight. Once he reached professionalism, he seemed unable to maintain consistency and was loaned to six teams in four years. A madness that also explains his life's moment. Darlington and Alfreton Town, in regional leagues; Burton Albion, in the Fourth Division; Carlisle United and Bradford City, in the Third Division, and Preston North End in the Championship, where he would shine to catapult himself to Sunderland and Everton, which in 2017 made him the most expensive English goalkeeper in history. The Liverpool club paid 25 million pounds, and from there, he became a regular in the national team. Southgate, who had seen him in the youth teams, had no doubts.
And here is Pickford, who is actually 'Pigford' by birth, although he changed his surname because it meant "pig ford." Jordan's quirks. Spain awaits him.