There’s a famous old Nike advert which features Paolo Maldini and the tagline: "Italy's Goalkeeper: Easiest Job in Europe."Unfortunately for England, they don’t have Maldini marshaling the defence, so it matters greatly who they have between the sticks.As is customary, the Three Lions are taking three goalkeepers to this summer’s World Cup—which we’ve ranked here and broken down in terms of what each can bring to Thomas Tuchel’s squad.Notable OmissionsNick Pope missed out. | PA Images/IMAGOReally, there were no surprises with the three keepers Thomas Tuchel picked for the World Cup, but there were a couple who perhaps had a long shot at making the cut but didn’t—mainly Newcastle United duo Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale.The pair have shared goalkeeping responsibilities on Tyneside this season, but neither has exactly stood out.Pope continues to be an excellent shot-stopper but struggles with the ball at his feet—a major drawback in Tuchel’s possession-based style of play. Ramsdale, meanwhile, has issues commanding his penalty area and dealing with crosses under heavy aerial pressure, and he is also prone to the occasional costly mistake.Put them together and you might have a World Cup-worthy goalkeeper, but, believe it or not, that’s not possible.England’s 2026 World Cup Goalkeepers—Ranked3. James TraffordJames Trafford has had limited minutes at City. | Marc Atkins/Getty ImagesJames Trafford’s 2024–25 campaign with Burnley was nothing short of extraordinary. He kept a record-breaking 29 clean sheets in 45 Championship games, conceding just 16 goals as the Clarets stormed to promotion.From there, he was widely expected to kick on and become England’s first-choice goalkeeper, especially after a move to Manchester City. However, the subsequent surprise signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma halted that progress, with Trafford since limited mostly to cup games.He has impressed when called upon, though, playing every minute of City’s FA Cup and EFL Cup-winning campaigns while keeping clean sheets in both finals.It feels like he will eventually become England’s No. 1, but for now, he will have to settle for some valuable tournament experience.2. Dean HendersonDean Henderson sparkled in the 2025 FA Cup final. | IMAGO / SportimageAfter making a permanent move to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2023, Dean Henderson endured a difficult start to life in London.A serious thigh injury limited his appearances early on, and he spent much of the 2023–24 campaign battling Sam Johnstone for the No. 1 spot at Selhurst Park.However, Johnstone’s injury setback and eventual departure gave the former Manchester United man a clear path to become Palace’s first-choice keeper—and he hasn’t looked back since. Henderson shone throughout the 2024–25 season, with his performances in the club’s remarkable FA Cup run standing out. He was heroic at every stage, particularly in the final, where Palace stunned Manchester City to lift the trophy, while this season he again played a major role in Palace’s historic Conference League run.He will be England’s backup this summer, and perhaps the man to step in if things go to a penalty shootout.1. Jordan PickfordJordan Pickford is England's current No.1. | IMAGO/PPAUKJordan Pickford remains a somewhat polarizing figure among England fans, with the Everton goalkeeper long criticized for occasional high-profile errors—none more infamous than his last-minute fumble in the Merseyside derby that handed Divock Origi a winner.However, in recent seasons, Pickford has significantly cut down on those mistakes and developed into a consistent and dependable presence for both Everton and England.He was Gareth Southgate’s undisputed No. 1 and rarely let the Three Lions down in their run to the Euro 2024 final, and he has retained his place under Tuchel.READ THE LATEST SOCCER NEWS, PREVIEWS & ANALYSIS HEREAdd us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow