Jordan Pickford is ready to thrive off the challenge of another major tournament semi-final as England aim for back-to-back European Championship finals with victory over the Netherlands.
Gareth Southgate’s side have been criticised throughout their Euro 2024 campaign and have not won a match in 90 minutes since their opening group-stage victory over Serbia.
However, after a penalty shoot-out success against Switzerland on Saturday, England again find themselves deep into a competition.
The game against the Dutch in Dortmund is England’s third semi-final appearance under Southgate and Pickford, whose save from Manuel Akanji set the tone in the shoot-out, has been first choice in all of them.
“There is pressure but I love the pressure,” Pickford said of playing in semi-finals.
“I love playing under that pressure and I thrive off it and that is just my mentality towards it. People might be a bit nervous but nerves are also a good thing.
“Every individual person is different but for me, the pressure of a semi-final – you want to be in the final – so I thrive under the pressure to make sure we get to the final.”
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Pickford has been Southgate’s number one for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups as well as the current Euros and the run to the final of Euro 2020 – where England lost on penalties to Italy.
The Everton goalkeeper’s longevity has seen him break England records for the most consecutive tournament appearances, the most clean sheets and the most penalty saves.
“It is a huge honour but the bottom line is that we want to win the trophy,” he told ITV Sport.
“It is a huge honour to have all of those stats but I’m a team player and my main focus is the game coming up and also getting that result first to then look towards the final but I am all about the team and nothing but the team.
“As an England number one, as you’ve seen over the years, you get criticism and it is how you deal with that criticism.
“You’ve got to be perfect every game and for me I try to be the best version of myself. The noise, people can talk because if they are talking it means they care and they want you to be at your best.
“I know when I’ve had a good game and can do better, when a goal goes in I know if I could have done better.
“I just focus on myself to be the best version of myself, for my family and, when I’ve got the England shirt on, for the fans.”
