Tuchel confirms Pickford as England No.1 but opens door to Trafford job share

Thomas Tuchel has confirmed Jordan Pickford remains England’s first-choice goalkeeper but has left the door open to another keeper rotation, with Leeds’ James Trafford pushing hard for further game time in the Nations League double header against Croatia and Spain.

Speaking ahead of the fixtures, Tuchel said of Pickford’s status: “No, he is. But nothing has changed. The competition is on there as well. Like for the outfield players. And Traff gets regular starts now, that’s what we wanted.”

Trafford was handed two starts during the previous international camp, a deliberate move by Tuchel to apply pressure on Pickford and assess his options beyond the 93-cap Everton stopper. Tuchel has not ruled out repeating that arrangement. “I’m not sure what we will do,” he said. “There’s an opportunity that we maybe do this again. I have to speak with our goalkeeper coach.”

The situation draws comparisons to the era of Peter Shilton and Ray Clemence, who famously shared the England jersey across much of their international careers. Whether Tuchel intends a similarly prolonged arrangement remains to be seen, but Trafford has at least established himself ahead of Dean Henderson in the pecking order.

Tuchel was candid about his reasoning for using the Nations League as a testing ground. “When do I have a chance to see another goalkeeper, if not in Nations League? If not in high pressure matches?” he said. “We had James against Spain — we asked ourselves, is this fair for James Trafford to straightaway go against Spain? But I think it’s exactly what we need. Because what happens if Jordan Pickford is injured? What happens if he’s not available? So it’s better to test it.”

Perhaps most notably, Tuchel revealed that Pickford himself has been more receptive to the competition than expected. “Surprisingly… I was very impressed and a bit surprised by Jordan’s reaction when we spoke to him,” Tuchel said. “I thought he’d be less of a fan than he proved to be.”

Pickford’s long-term hold on the shirt is not under immediate threat, but there is a broader sense within the England camp that Trafford has the potential to become the outright first choice by the time Euro 2028 arrives. For now, Tuchel appears content to keep both keepers sharp — and keep Pickford honest.