Former England striker Alan Smith has insisted that Jordan Pickford does not get the credit he deserves, as the Everton goalkeeper prepares to make his 86th appearance for England in a World Cup clash against Ghana in Boston. Pickford, now competing in his third World Cup as first choice, has surpassed the caps totals of David Seaman and Joe Hart (both 75) to become England's most capped goalkeeper after Peter Shilton, who holds the overall record with 125 appearances.
Pickford's Penalty Heroics and Clean Sheet Record
Unlike Shilton, who failed to save any penalties at Italia '90, Pickford has saved at least one spot-kick in each of four England shoot-outs, including two in the European Championship final against Italy in 2021. He also scored the decisive fifth penalty in a 6-5 victory over Switzerland in 2019. Additionally, Pickford has broken Shilton's record for the most clean sheets by an England goalkeeper in major tournaments, currently standing at 12.
According to statistics from Opta, Pickford has officially not been at fault for conceding a single goal in a competitive match, with the only such mistake coming in a friendly against Belgium on March 24, 2024, his 60th appearance. Despite this, a pundit for a major media outlet gave Pickford a rating of 3 out of 10 for his performance in a 1-0 World Cup qualifier win over Andorra in June 2025, citing a failure to do anything special with the ball at his feet. The same pundit later awarded him just 1 out of 10 for a display in a 3-0 friendly victory over Costa Rica.
Unfair Criticism and 'Witch Hunt' Claims
During the competitive tournament, the pundit remarked: "Sorry, you're not going to win a World Cup conceding goals like those two, it's so disheartening," yet gave ratings of 7 to three of the back four defenders, a 6 to John Stones, and only a 5 to Pickford. Such criticism has been described as a "witch hunt" by both Neville Southall and the late Kevin Campbell. Another common but unsubstantiated claim is that Pickford does not replicate his international form at club level, a notion dismissed by Everton fans who witness his performances weekly.
In the 2025/26 season, Pickford won the Microsoft Goalkeeper Performance of the Season award for his display in a 2-0 win over Brighton, which included a penalty save from Danny Welbeck. He also received the Coca-Cola Save of the Season for a stunning late stop to deny Sandro Tonali in a 3-2 victory over Newcastle United.
Alan Smith's Verdict
Alan Smith, who played alongside David Seaman for Arsenal and England, winning two League Championships, the FA Cup, League Cup, and European Cup-Winners' Cup, told the ECHO: "I don't think Jordan does get the credit he deserves. He's been brilliant for England, he really has. He's got that longevity and made some big, big saves. People say his international form is better than his club form. But I mean, you know, he's done great for Everton. So, he's one of those big characters, I think a lot of the top keepers are. Yeah, I think he probably does deserve more credit than he gets."
