Pickford or Trafford? The battle to be England's number one

Key Takeaways

• You have to go back 10 years to find a major tournament where Jordan Pickford was not starting in goal for England
• The Everton goalkeeper has pretty much been England's number one since making his debut in 2017 - until now
• Saturday's 3-2 Nations League loss to Spain saw Leeds' James Trafford make his competitive debut for the Three Lions as manager Thomas Tuchel signalle
• Pickford became England's highest appearance maker at World Cups, overtaking Peter Shilton when he started in England's 2026 quarter-final win over No
• During Gareth Southgate's tenure there was not a natural goalkeeper to rival Pickford, and that looked to continue under Tuchel as Pickford started al

You have to go back 10 years to find a major tournament where Jordan Pickford was not starting in goal for England.

The Everton goalkeeper has pretty much been England's number one since making his debut in 2017 - until now.

Saturday's 3-2 Nations League loss to Spain saw Leeds' James Trafford make his competitive debut for the Three Lions as manager Thomas Tuchel signalled the battle to be number one is on.

Pickford became England's highest appearance maker at World Cups, overtaking Peter Shilton when he started in England's 2026 quarter-final win over Norway.

During Gareth Southgate's tenure there was not a natural goalkeeper to rival Pickford, and that looked to continue under Tuchel as Pickford started all but one of England's World Cup qualifiers and then every game in the summer.

But it looks as though Pickford has finally got a rival in Trafford, with Tuchel saying that the pair get "two consecutive matches each" during this international break.

Trafford has impressed since making his move to Leeds for a deal worth up to £45m.

Against Spain, the 23-year-old showed his quality with the ball at his feet and made an impressive save to deny Ferran Torres in the first half.

But he was beaten three times as England lost their Nations League opener to the world champions.

"I think he deserved to get the two matches, that's why we gave him two matches," Tuchel said.

"He started the Premier League season well and gets minutes as number one at Leeds.

"Jordan [Pickford] did absolutely nothing wrong but we wanted to use this competition to see how far actually James is."

Trafford's form this season has helped Leeds to fifth in the Premier League table.

He has kept two clean sheets and now has his chance to stake his claim as England's future number one over two matches.

Trafford had only played 32 top-flight games before moving to Leeds following time at Burnley and Manchester City.

He came through City's academy and joined Burnley for an initial fee of £15m in the summer of 2023.

However, he conceded 67 goals in only 28 matches before losing his place towards the end of the 2023-24 season.

But after starring in Burnley's successful promotion in 2024-25 and the Clarets conceding just 16 goals, Trafford returned to City for £27m last summer with the hope of being Pep Guardiola's number one.

City brought in one of the best goalkeepers in the world in Gianluigi Donnarumma, just four weeks after Trafford's arrival and he became second choice.

Despite it being a frustrating campaign, Trafford did get vital experience and started both the FA Cup final and Carabao Cup final for City before his move to Leeds.

He has been part of England success too, winning the U21 European Championship in 2023 and saving a stoppage-time penalty as Lee Carsley's side beat Spain in the final.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Pickford or Trafford? The battle to be E?

Jordan Pickford has been England's number one for a long time. But does he now have a rival in James Trafford?

Originally reported by BBC News. Enhanced and optimized for search by TechVeb.