Pickford: England hasn’t started penalty practice yet, but I’m ready if needed

The English national team is set to face Serbia on the third matchday of the European Championship, and ahead of the clash, England’s goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has revealed that he would be ready to take a penalty if the tournament were to go to a shootout.

Pickford, however, emphasized the importance of first navigating through the group stage. In the 2018 World Cup, he helped England win their first-ever World Cup penalty shootout against Colombia. Reflecting on penalties in major tournaments, Pickford said, “I know I’ve scored a penalty in the World Cup, but we haven’t started practicing them yet. The teammates who take penalties at their clubs will do their job, and I need to focus on preparing for Serbia, with three crucial games before the knockout stages.”

As a goalkeeper, Pickford’s primary focus is on defense, and he dismissed criticism of England’s defensive frailties. He stated, “Everyone in the team has had a successful season, with international experience. We know each other well, what we’re good at, what we need. Defense is a collective effort from the strikers all the way back to the defenders. We have to work as a unit, not just focusing on the back four and the goalkeeper.”

Pickford also believes that England’s spine – from himself, Stones, Rice, Bellingham to Kane – will be the envy of other Euro competitors. He said, “Stones won the Champions League, domestic treble last season, and four consecutive Premier League titles; Jude won the Champions League this year; Harry Kane scores goals for fun, holding the England goal-scoring record; and Declan had a fantastic season at Arsenal. So, the spine is crucial, and everyone is working together to be at their best.”