MEXICO CITY — It is often forgotten what an important part of England’s recent revolution Jordan Pickford has been.
A colourful character, he is as vital off the pitch as he is on it, keeping morale high in a way only people from that particular part of the north east can.
Between the posts, he has been a master of consistency, with his distribution, when at the peak of his powers a few years ago, as good as anything we have seen on our shores.
Yet before heading to Mexico City, Pickford had looked at his most vulnerable.
Even his own manager Thomas Tuchel flew off the handle at the Everton goalkeeper for not following orders in England’s opening World Cup victory over Croatia.
