Pickford Confident England Can Go All the Way Without Relying on Penalties
Jordan Pickford has urged England to embrace the pressure of the World Cup knockout stages after Thomas Tuchel’s side secured top spot in Group L with a 2-0 win over Panama on Saturday. The Everton goalkeeper, speaking to The Guardian, said the squad’s experience of high-stakes football means they are well placed to deliver in the business end of the tournament.
“It ramps up now, doesn’t it?” Pickford said after recording his 46th England clean sheet from 87 caps — his sixth at this World Cup alone. “It’s a proper phase of football. There are lads who have won Champions Leagues… everyone knows the pressure of it and I think that is where you will see us thrive.”
England now face the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday in the last 16. You can follow all the action and check where every side stands at our World Cup 2026 hub, including live standings.
At 32, Pickford has featured in 29 consecutive major tournament games for England, making him one of the few remaining links to the Gareth Southgate era still holding a starting spot. Dean Henderson has been pressing for a place after a strong season at Crystal Palace, but The Guardian reports there was never any serious doubt over who would be Tuchel’s first choice.
Pickford was not entirely flawless in the group stage — he was fortunate not to be penalised for a collision with Ghana substitute Prince Kwabena Adu — but his overall record for the senior side stays impressive. His penalty shootout heroics are already part of England folklore: saves against Colombia at the 2018 World Cup, Manuel Akanji at Euro 2024, and Josip Drmic in the 2019 Nations League third-place play-off.
Despite that record, Pickford insists England’s goal is to win matches without needing spot-kicks. He has been practising penalties in training just in case, but says the squad’s strength of takers has pushed him down the pecking order.
One notable shift under Tuchel is England’s more aggressive defensive shape, with Nico O’Reilly pushed high from left-back and defenders often left in one-on-one situations. Pickford is relaxed about the approach. “I wouldn’t say it’s a risk,” he said. “It’s tactical. We’re playing front-foot football… we want to get the ball high up and suffocate teams.”
For UK fans betting on England’s run, the knockout stage is where form and nerve count most — and on both fronts, Pickford appears in good shape heading into Wednesday’s tie.