England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford revisited five of his most iconic international appearances, ranging from debut nerves to high-stakes World Cup drama. The Three Lions star highlighted historic penalty shootouts and playing in front of 90,000 hostile fans in Mexico.
Pickford reflects on historic debut and Colombia shootout heroics
England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford revisited the defining games of his international career, starting with his senior bow against Germany in November 2017. "My debut was unreal," Pickford recalled. "Probably one of the only times I’ve felt nervous going into a game. I’d worked towards that lifelong dream and finally making it was incredible."
The stopper also highlighted the historic World Cup penalty shootout win against Colombia in July 2018.
"To be the first England team to win a penalty shootout in so many years, it was special and it gave us that belief," he noted.
Goalkeeper recalls Spain triumph and scoring unique penalty
Reflecting on England's 3-2 victory in Spain in October 2018, Pickford praised the squad's developing mentality under Gareth Southgate. "Gareth talked about if we want to be a top nation in the world... we’re going to have to go to these places and start winning," Pickford stated.
Pickford also remembered his rare goalscoring moment against Switzerland in the 2019 UEFA Nations League third-place play-off penalty shootout.
"I think I was number six and it was a great feeling, hitting the back of the net... for me to do it – the only time taking a penalty so far in my career – it was a great moment," he revealed.
Pickford hails Mexico City thrillers as career pinnacle
Pickford selected England's dramatic 3-2 victory against co-hosts Mexico at the 2026 World Cup as one of his absolute greatest experiences. "It was mega," Pickford declared. "I knew it was us eleven versus 90,000 and I knew what type of game it was going to be. There aren’t many times in your career you’re going to go and play in the Azteca in a World Cup."
Addressing the altitude and intense atmosphere, the keeper explained: "I’ve always been able to kick the ball far but to do it in Mexico, it felt like the ball wasn’t going to stop when I was kicking it!"
"Making big saves... me commanding my box was a big part in that game that got us over the line," he added.
Three Lions icon looks back on lasting international legacy
Having built an exceptional record as England's most-capped goalkeeper at World Cup tournaments, Pickford views those high-pressure nights as unforgettable milestones.
"The game had everything," Pickford concluded regarding the Mexico victory. "Suffering in a good way to get the result was amazing and something we’ll look back on when we’re retired and go, ‘what a game that was’."
Pickford remains a pivotal figure for England as the team builds towards future international objectives.
A sports journalist with nearly a decade of experience, beginning the professional journey at Indonesia's legendary Tabloid BOLA from 2017 until its final print edition in December 2018. Following that, joining GOAL, contributing as a freelance writer for FIFA, and working within the media department of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF). Alongside the journalism career, also active as a live play-by-play commentator for Indonesian football since 2017. Holds a bachelor's degree in History from the Faculty of Cultural Sciences, Universitas Padjadjaran, Bandung.
Football Story
Footballing identity built on geography, heritage, and childhood obsession. Although the father played for a traditional rival club, nine years living in Bandung made Persib a spiritual home, sparked in 2006 by Thai goalkeeper Kosin Hathairattanakool and witnessing firsthand how deeply locals own the club. Globally, the first true love was Ronaldo and Inter Milan, enduring the heartbreak of near-misses during injury-plagued years. With Dutch roots in Rotterdam, making Feyenoord the club of choice, the Netherlands national team has always remained close to the heart, highlighted by the 2010 World Cup final, a live 2013 friendly against Indonesia, and Oranje Indonesia watch parties. Arjen Robben and Giovanni van Bronckhorst remain ultimate favorites, while Football Manager 2005 sparked a lasting admiration for Athletic Bilbao’s philosophy. Outside football, allegiance lies with the Chicago Bulls and Golden State Warriors through icons like Michael Jordan, Derrick Rose, and Stephen Curry.
Areas of Expertise
Areas of expertise span Indonesian football and Liga 1 data insights and unique features, alongside Southeast Asian and East Asian football landscapes covering Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. Additional skills include digital and social media video content creation such as Instagram reels and podcasts, as well as player profiling, feature writing, live broadcasting, interviewing, photography, and multilingual communication in basic français and español .
Favourite Footballing Memory
Combining a passion for backpacking with professional assignments has made it possible to pursue two goals simultaneously. Meeting and interviewing various Indonesian players pursuing careers or currently based abroad, ranging from across Southeast Asia to Europe, has been an absolute privilege and honor. Traveling independently through the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France, and Japan to track down and connect with Indonesian players competing abroad remains a truly cherished experience. Crafting interview content with them is a body of work that will always hold a special place in memory.
My All-Time XI
It’s tough to lock down a definitive starting XI, but the non-negotiables are Manuel Neuer or Rogério Ceni in goal; alongside Javier Zanetti, Sergio Ramos, N'Golo Kanté, Toni Kroos, Arjen Robben, Mo Salah, and Zlatan Ibrahimović. Juan Román Riquelme or Michael Laudrup most likely complete the tactical puzzle. While legends like Lothar Matthäus, Zinedine Zidane, and Ronaldo are impossible to overlook, they were left out simply because they feature in everyone else's lineup.
