Jordan Pickford became England’s most-capped World Cup player on Saturday, starting his 18th tournament match as England beat Norway 2-1 after extra time in the quarter-final in Miami.
The appearance took him past Peter Shilton’s previous record of 17, set across the 1982, 1986 and 1990 World Cups.
But it was not, by his own recent standards, a comfortable evening. Norway took the lead in the 35th minute when Andreas Schjelderup shaped up as if to cross before shooting from a tight angle. The ball flew into the roof of the net and Pickford appeared to pull his hand back rather than commit to the save.
BBC Sport’s player ratings marked him down for the goal, describing an “uncertain performance,” which was hard to contest as he also spilt some routine efforts through the game that would normally have been gathered more comfortably. he, like everyone else on the pitch, would have undoubtedly been affected by the sweltering heat,
Pickford did produce important saves either side of that mistake, though, tipping an effort from Alexander Sorloth over the crossbar and getting a hand to a header from Erling Haaland, diverting it around the post.
Norway had a goal disallowed midway through the second half, Torbjorn Heggem converting a rebound after Pickford had already saved Sorloth’s initial shot, but the goal was ruled out by VAR for a foul by Haaland on Elliot Anderson in the build-up.
Hey Jude…
England equalised through Jude Bellingham in first-half stoppage time and went on to win it in extra time, Bellingham scoring his second of the match in the 93rd minute after Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland saved a shot from Morgan Rogers.
Pickford’s goal stayed largely untroubled from that point, and he was aggressive off his line, as he was in Mexico, during a tense finish as Norway pushed for an equaliser.
Ratings for the performance varied. BBC Sport and one Yahoo Sports panel scored him 5 out of 10; ESPN gave him 7, noting he “looked shaky in moments” but praised his composure under pressure late on.
It was not one of his tidier displays statistically, given Norway’s disallowed goal and the number of efforts he was forced to deal with, but he helped get the job done.
Pickford has started every England match at this World Cup and, of course, remains first-choice goalkeeper under Thomas Tuchel.
England face Argentina in the semi-final in Atlanta on Wednesday, where Jordan Pickford is set to win his 19th World Cup cap.
