Neville: I had prejudice against Pickford, but he’s won me over with his performances

Former England international Gary Neville recently admitted on the show “Shadow” that he once doubted the abilities of England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, but now he has been impressed by the player’s outstanding displays.

Pickford played a crucial role in England’s 1-0 victory over Serbia, making several key saves to secure a solid start for the Three Lions in Germany. Under Southgate, Pickford has consistently been the undisputed first-choice goalkeeper, and the Everton player has proven himself as the most reliable option for the national team.

Pickford didn’t initially earn universal trust, with both Neville and former Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney admitting they had reservations about him in the past. On “Shadow,” the pair acknowledged their previous skepticism towards Pickford.

When discussing which current England internationals would make their era’s national team, both Neville and Rooney opted for Pickford as the starting goalkeeper over Paul Robinson or David James. Rooney even went as far as to call the Everton player one of England’s all-time great goalkeepers.

Rooney said, “I played with Jordan at Everton, and my concern was that he could be a bit excitable. Joe Hart was like that, Ramsdale too. But Jordan is up there as well. I played with Edwin van der Sar, who was the calmest person in the world, so if you’re turning your goalkeeper into Jordan Pickford, I’m not sure. But he’s had an incredible career, especially with England.”

Neville admitted that Pickford has convinced him with his performances. He said, “Sometimes he laughs on the pitch, and that makes me nervous because I don’t want to see a goalkeeper laughing – it lacks seriousness, and I didn’t think he had the composure or presence. But to be fair, over the last three or four years, he’s made only one mistake for England, which was against Belgium. He rarely makes errors, and his technique is good. I think he’s become a key figure for England, and he’s completely changed my mind.”