- Jordan Pickford is prepared to volunteer to take a penalty for England in Germany
- He was one of many hero’s in England’s shootout win in opposition to Colombia in 2018
- LISTEN to It’s All Kicking Off! Why Euro 2024 may give us an ‘old style’ match as soon as once more
Jordan Pickford says he’ll put his hand as much as take a penalty in a shootout for England this summer time – however has revealed there was no spot-kick apply to date.
First, says the goalkeeper, he and his team-mates should negotiate the group stage, which kicks off in opposition to Serbia in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.
Pickford was the hero at Russia 2018 as England received a shootout for the primary time at a World Cup when defeating Colombia within the final 16.
He’s additionally the one Three Lions keeper to attain a penalty in a aggressive shootout, when smashing the winner in opposition to Switzerland within the Nations League bronze-medal match in 2019. And the Everton stopper is able to do all of it once more, if wanted.
‘If known as upon, I’m assured sufficient that I’ll take one,’ stated Pickford. ‘I’d step up for my nation. However in case you look all through the squad, I feel I’d be down the pecking order!’
Jordan Pickford has claimed he would volunteer to take a penalty for England at Euro 2024
He was a hero in 2018 as England lastly received a World Cup shootout in opposition to Colombia
Perhaps not given the emphatic nature of his end final time?
‘I do know… took one, transformed one,’ he laughed, earlier than admitting there had not been speak of shootouts within the camp.
‘We haven’t gone into that element but, from a goalkeeping perspective. The lads who take penalties naturally for his or her membership, they is perhaps doing their very own factor. I’ll be doing my homework tomorrow on the Serbia sport. However the knockout phases, that can come later, as a result of we now have three massive video games forward of us earlier than we get to that.’
For now, Pickford can have his palms full on the different finish of the park. Issues stay round England’s defence going into the match, and it was put to Pickford that the backline was being billed in some quarters as a weak hyperlink, a declare he refuted.
‘Everyone seems to be right here as a result of they’ve had a very good season for his or her membership and everybody has performed for England earlier than,’ he stated. ‘Everyone knows one another’s strengths – what we’re good at and what we want.
‘You say “defence”, it begins from the centre-forward all the best way again. We have to work as a unit. I’d say that’s the key issue, working as a unit, as a substitute of speaking concerning the again 4 and the keeper.’
Pickford additionally believes the backbone of England’s workforce – himself, John Stones, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane – would be the envy of their Euros rivals.
He scored throughout a shootout win over Switzerland in 2019 within the Nations League
Mail Sport’s Craig Hope (proper) took on England star Jordan Pickford (left) in a golf problem
‘It’s not too unhealthy, is it?’ he stated. ‘Should you look, Stonesy received the Champions League, the treble final 12 months and received the Premier League 4 instances in a row. Jude’s received the Champions League this 12 months. Harry Kane scores targets for enjoyable, England’s report goalscorer, and Declan has had a improbable season at Arsenal.
‘So, the backbone is essential, however it’s greater than the backbone, it’s about the entire workforce and everyone seems to be working collectively to be at our greatest.’
