Pickford has represented England atunder-16,under-17,under-18,under-19,under-20 andunder-21 levels. He made his debut for the full England national team in November 2017 in a friendly againstGermany. He was the starting goalkeeper in England's2018 FIFA World Cup fourth-place finish, in which the squad made its first semi-final appearance since 1990. He also started in England'sUEFA Euro 2020 runners-up finish, in which they reached their first ever Euro final and first major tournament final since 1966. Starting every game in the group stage, Pickford conceded no goals. Pickford again started as England's first-choice goalkeeper as they reached thefinal ofUEFA Euro 2024.
Pickford began dating Megan Davison whilst at secondary school. In March 2020, they married. The couple have a son who was born in 2019,[12] and two daughters born in 2023 and 2025.[13]
Club career
Sunderland
Pickford joinedSunderland's Academy at the age of eight and progressed through the age groups before signing two-year scholarship terms in 2010.[14] The following year, he was promoted from the Academy to the reserve team.[15]
In 2011, Pickford signed his first professional contract with the club.[16] The following year, he signed a contract extension with the club.[17]
Loans to Darlington and Alfreton Town
Pickford signed onloan forConference Premier clubDarlington in time to make his debut againstFleetwood Town on 21 January 2012, playing the whole of a 1–0 home loss.[18][19] The initial month-long loan was subsequently extended until the end of April.[20] He went on to make 17 appearances for Darlington,[21] who were relegated.[22]
On 25 February 2013, Pickford signed for Conference Premier clubAlfreton Town, again on an initial month-long loan[23] and was a cover forPhil Barnes, who was injured.[24] He made his debut the next day in a 5–1 win overHyde United.[25] His loan spell at the club was subsequently extended until the end of the season.[26] During this spell, Pickford kept 5clean sheets in 12 matches.[27]
Loans to Burton Albion and Carlisle United
On 2 August 2013, Pickford signed another loan deal, this time withLeague Two club Burton Albion,[27] and made his debut the next day againstCheltenham Town.[28] However, his loan ended on 17 August, after Sunderland recalled him with Pickford featuring just three times for Burton.[29][30] On 13 September, Pickford re-joined Burton on loan.[31] His handful of first-team appearances at Burton Albion led to an extension of his loan spell for another month.[32] After making 13 appearances across his two loan spells, Pickford was recalled by his parent club once again.[33] He subsequently spent 11 matches as an unused substitute on the bench as a cover forVito Mannone between 23 November 2013 and 18 January 2014.[34]
Although it was rumoured that he could return on loan to Burton for the third time,[35] Pickford joined League One clubCarlisle United on a one-month loan on 8 February 2014.[36] He made his debut that same day in a 2–1 loss away toGillingham.[37] His form and handful of first-team appearances led the club to keep him on loan for the rest of the season.[38] After extending his loan at the club, Pickford went on to make 18 appearances for Carlisle.[39]
At the end of the 2013–14 season, Pickford signed a four-year contract with Sunderland, keeping him at the club until 2018.[40]
Loan to Bradford City
On 21 July 2014, Pickford joinedLeague One club Bradford City on a season-long loan for the 2014–15 season.[41] He made his debut on 9 August in a 3–2 win againstCoventry City atValley Parade,[42] and kept his first clean sheet in the following match, a 0–0 draw away toWalsall.[43] Pickford then received his first ever red card after he was sent off in the 11th minute of a 2–1 loss toRochdale on 10 January 2015.[44] He served a one-match suspension which his club did not appeal.[45]
On 7 February, he was once again expelled from play as he was sent off in the last minute of a 2–2 away draw againstPort Vale.[46] After being given a two-match ban, the club successfully appealed and had it revoked.[47][48]
Pickford established himself as a first-choice goalkeeper for most of the season until he was recalled by his parent club on 9 March 2015.[49]
Further clean sheets in a 1–0 win againstMilton Keynes Dons in his second league appearance and a 0–0 draw withRotherham United on 18 August made it three clean sheets from his first three league appearances for the club.[52][53] On 25 August, Pickford kept another clean sheet as Preston defeatedPremier League teamWatford 1–0 in theLeague Cup.[54] On 7 November, he recorded a 6th consecutive clean sheet in a 0–0 draw against QPR, equalling the club record.[55][56] During his stint at Preston, Pickford impressed his veteran goalkeeping teammateChris Kirkland, who said "Jordan comes out to take crosses and has an authority for someone still very young... As for his kicking, that is brilliant! I have never seen anyone kick a ball like he does."[57] On 20 December 2015, Pickford was controversially sent off in a 1–0 defeat againstLeeds United: he rushed out of his box to challenge strikerChris Wood, and was judged to have handled the ball.[58] Preston successfully appealed the decision, using replay footage that showed the ball hitting his chest.[59]
Return to Sunderland
On 1 January 2016, Pickford was recalled by Sunderland, with the side struggling in 19th place in thePremier League.[60] He made his first-team debut on 9 January 2016, in a 3–1FA Cup loss toArsenal.[61] He made his Premier League debut againstTottenham Hotspur atWhite Hart Lane on 16 January 2016 losing 4–1, meaning he had played in the top five leagues of English football by the age of 21.[62] On 26 January, Pickford signed a new contract committing his future to Sunderland until 2020.[14]
Pickford began the2016–17 season as understudy to Vito Mannone. However, after Mannone suffered a serious arm injury in training, Pickford started Sunderland's third league match of the season, away toSouthampton. He produced several saves during the match, but in the 85th minute he made an error that allowedJay Rodriguez to equalise for the hosts in a 1–1 draw.[63] On 13 April 2017, Pickford was named as one of six players shortlisted for thePFA Young Player of the Year award.[64]
Everton
2017–18 season
On 15 June 2017, Pickford signed for Premier League clubEverton on a five-year contract. The initial fee of £25 million, with the possibility of rising to £30 million in add-ons, made himthe third most expensive goalkeeper in history at the time, the most expensive British goalkeeper of all time and will make him Everton's second most expensive signing, pending add-on payments,[65] asGylfi Sigurðsson is currently the club's most expensive signing with £40 million plus add-on payments.[66] Pickford made his league debut for Everton on 12 August 2017, when his club beatStoke City 1–0 at Goodison Park.[67] At the conclusion of his first season, he was named Everton's Player of the Season, along with numerous other club accolades.[68]
2018–19 season
On 2 December 2018, againstlocal rivalsLiverpool, Pickford made a last-minute mistake after he mishandled a volley fromVirgil van Dijk, allowingDivock Origi to score the winning goal for Liverpool from a close-range header in the 96th minute.[69][70]
On 10 March 2019, againstNewcastle United, Pickford misjudged a cross fromMatt Ritchie and thenrugby tackledSalomón Rondón, conceding a penalty. He quickly redeemed himself by saving Ritchie's penalty with his legs, and Everton doubled their lead a minute later.[71] In the second half, when an effort by Rondón went wide of the post, Pickford was seen smiling at the Newcastle fans in the Gallowgate end. However, he conceded three times after that, including parrying a shot byMiguel Almirón into the path ofAyoze Pérez. OnMatch of the Day,Ian Wright suggested that Pickford should have focused on his game more, and given he was a former Sunderland player, not let his emotions affect him.[72] In April 2019 Pickford was allegedly filmed involved in a fracas; police said they would investigate.[73]
2019–20 season
Pickford remained Everton's first choice goalkeeper, making 38 appearances in thePremier League and keeping 13 clean sheets.[74]
However, he struggled with form and again made several errors. His record of four errors leading to goals was the highest of any keeper in the Premier League.[75] When it came to saving shots, onlyChelsea'sKepa Arrizabalaga saved fewer than Pickford.[76] Despite this,Carlo Ancelotti remained steadfast in his support for Pickford, saying "Sometimes unfortunately you can have a mistake but after that you need to have the personality to move on quickly and he did."[77]
However, he performed much better in theEFL Cup, being part of the team that made the Quarter-Finals of the competition, including saving a penalty fromLeicester City'sJames Maddison. It was however not enough and Leicester progressed through after thepenalty shoot-out.[78]
2020–21 season
Pickford again continued to be Everton's first choice goalkeeper, being part of the team that won its opening four games for the first time since the 1969–70 season.[79]
In the firstMerseyside derby of the season, Pickford was criticised[80] for his tackle onLiverpool defenderVirgil van Dijk which resulted in Van Dijk being substituted after six minutes, with what later turned out to be a season-ending ACL injury. The derby was one of the most heated in recent years, withRicharlison being sent off for a late challenge onThiago Alcantara and captainJordan Henderson having a game-winning goal ruled out for offside byVAR.[81]
2021–22 season
On 25 May 2022, Pickford claimed the Player of the Season award from Everton following a personally outstanding campaign.[82] On 28 May 2022, Pickford claimed the 2021–22 Castrol Save of the Season award for his amazing goal line stop against Chelsea. After Mason Mount's shot had hit both posts, Pickford raced across his line and then dived in the opposite direction to keep out Azpilicueta's rebound as Everton beat Chelsea 1–0 on 1 May 2022.[83]
2022–present
Pickford kept his first clean sheet of the2022–23 season on 3 September 2022, in the Merseyside derby draw atGoodison Park.[84] He was praised for his performance in the match byBBC Sport's chief football writerPhil McNulty, who said that "Pickford's status as England's first choice goalkeeper is unquestioned and fully deserved" ahead of the2022 FIFA World Cup.[85]He signed a new contract with Everton on 24 February 2023, keeping him at the club until June 2027.[86]
At the end of the2023–24 season, Pickford was named as the Everton Player of the Season for the third consecutive season.[87]
On 16 October 2025, Pickford signed a new four-year-contract, committing his future to the club until 2029.[88]
Pickford has represented the England international team at every level from under-16s to under-21s.[63] In October 2009, he made hisEngland U16 debut againstWales U16.[89] In 2011, Pickford represented England at the2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup. In a game versus Canada, Pickford allowed an 86th-minute goal, from a downfield kick by Canadian goalkeeperQuillan Roberts which tied the game in a 2–2 draw.[90] This remains as the only goal scored by a goalkeeper in a FIFA finals to date from open play.[91]
On 24 August 2017, Pickford was called up to the England squad by managerGareth Southgate for two 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers againstMalta andSlovakia.[97] However, he later withdrew from the squad due to injury.[98] Pickford made his debut in a friendly on 10 November 2017, starting as England drew 0–0 withGermany atWembley Stadium.[99]
Pickford was named in the 23-manEngland national team squad for the2018 FIFA World Cup.[100] He started the opening match againstTunisia, which England won 2–1.[101] In their round of 16 match on 3 July, Pickford helped England beatColombia 4–3 on penalties after a 1–1 draw, saving fromCarlos Bacca, to claim his nation's first World Cup penalty shoot-out victory and a place in the quarter-final.[102]
On 7 July 2018, Pickford kept his first clean sheet of the World Cup and was named man of the match, as England knocked outSweden with a 2–0 win in the quarter-finals. The result earned England a place in the semi-finals of the World Cup for the first time since1990.[103]
2019 UEFA Nations League
In June 2019, Pickford scored and then saved the decisive penalty as England beatSwitzerland to finish third at the inauguralUEFA Nations League Finals. It was the second penalty shoot-out in a row that England had won, with Pickford saving penalties in both, and he became the first goalkeeper to take (and score) a penalty in a competitive shoot-out for England.[104]
Euro 2020
On 1 June 2021, Pickford was named in the 26-man squad for the rescheduled UEFA Euro 2020. At the tournament, Pickford became the first goalkeeper in history to keep clean sheets in the first five games of a European Championship.[105] On 7 July 2021, Pickford set an all-time England record for most consecutive scoreless minutes posted by a goalkeeper. He set the mark of 721 minutes midway through the first halfEuro 2020 semi-final againstDenmark, passing a record previously held byGordon Banks (720 minutes).[106][107] On 11 July 2021, Pickford saved two Italy penalties during the shoot-out in thefinal, after the match finished 1–1 after extra time. However, England lost 3–2 after missing their last three penalties.[108]
2022 FIFA World Cup
Pickford was selected for England's 26-man squad on 10 November 2022 for the2022 FIFA World Cup.[109] He played in every minute of England's campaign and kept three clean sheets. The first two were in the group stage games against theUSA (0–0)[110] andWales (3–0),[111] as England toppedGroup B. He also kept outSenegal in England's 3–0Round of 16 win.[112] Pickford won his 50thcap in England's quarter-final defeat toFrance.[113][114][115]
Euro 2024
On 6 June 2024, Pickford was named in England's squad forUEFA Euro 2024.[116] He started the team's opening match of the tournament againstSerbia, keeping a clean sheet in the 1–0 win to record his tenth shutout for England in a major international tournament, equalingPeter Shilton's record.[117] On 25 June, he became the outright record holder with his eleventh clean sheet in the 0–0 draw againstSlovenia.[118]
After the Euro 2024quarter-final against Switzerland went to a penalty shootout, Pickford saved the first kick fromManuel Akanji, the only unsuccessful kick of the shootout as England won 5–3.[119]
Career statistics
Club
As of match played 8 November 2025
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
^Blackham, Daniel (18 October 2020)."Alan Shearer delivers VAR rant over Jordan Pickford's tackle on Virgil van Dijk".Express.co.uk. Daily Express. Retrieved14 November 2020.Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford should have been sent off for his "awful challenge" on Virgil van Dijk which left the Liverpool defender facing eight months out with a potential ACL injury. That's the opinion of Alan Shearer, who tore into the decision on Match of the Day.
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