Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Jordan Pickford remains England's number one goalkeeper, but has not ruled out another job share with James Trafford for the upcoming Nations League matches against Croatia and Spain.
The England boss said he could give Trafford and Pickford a game each in the double header, following Trafford's two appearances in the last camp. The Leeds keeper's involvement signals Tuchel's intent to increase competition for Pickford, who has been England's first choice for nearly a decade.
Trafford's Rise and Pickford's Position
Trafford has now established himself ahead of Dean Henderson and is seen as a potential first-choice option for Euro 2028. Pickford, with 93 caps, wants to retain his status, but Trafford is applying genuine pressure.
Tuchel acknowledged the possibility of repeating the rotation, comparing it to the era of Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence, who shared the England jersey throughout much of their international careers.
Tuchel's View on Competition
When asked if Pickford is still his number one, Tuchel said: "No, he is. But nothing has changed. The competition is on there as well. Like for the outfield players. And Traff gets regular starts now, that's what we wanted."
He added: "James Trafford did well. They shared the matches last time. I'm not sure what we will do. There's an opportunity that we maybe do this again."
The England boss also stressed the importance of giving Trafford game time in high-pressure matches, saying: "Yes it's slightly different, but when do I have a chance to see another goalkeeper, if not in Nations League? If not in high pressure matches?"
Pickford's Positive Reaction
Tuchel revealed that Pickford was "surprisingly" understanding about sharing duties, saying: "I was very impressed and a bit surprised by Jordan's reaction when we spoke to him. I thought he'd be less of a fan than he proved to be."
He added: "He said 'yeah, let's do this, Traff deserves it, and I will push him'. And he didn't change at all. If he changed, he changed even to the positive, he pushed Traff, he gave him a good feeling. So very impressive, he did it very well."
Tuchel concluded that Pickford remains the number one for now, but the competition is good for him, and the Nations League provides an opportunity to test the depth of the squad.
