Everton’s Jordan Pickford is back in action tonight, as he bids to become a European champion with England, with Spain standing in the way.
The £30m keeper has largely been a mainstay of Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions regime ever since his 2016 appointment, as a ball-playing shot-stopper with all the talent in the world.
He is just as likely to pull off a world-class save as he is to ping a 60-yard pass right to the feet of his winger.
There are few as good as Jordan Pickford in the modern game.
And yet, he is a figure that does at times draw scrutiny.
He has come under some pretty intense criticism throughout his career, having endured a pretty tumultuous start to life at Goodison Park.
Having since levelled out, he still retains some of the stigma attached to his old behaviour.
Kyle Walker drops a one-word description of Jordan Pickford
Although, judging by how his teammates view him, perhaps this behaviour is not old, but repurposed.
After all, he would usually carry his somewhat odd attitude on to the pitch, and channeled it poorly. That would see moments of craziness leak into his goalkeeping, which was never a good sign.
Having eradicated that, and become more laser-focused than ever, it seems that he just reserves this kind of attitude to behind closed doors.
Manchester City’s Kyle Walker has ratified this suggestion, telling BBC 5 Live Sport what he really thinks of Pickford.
When asked for one word to describe him, he simply claimed: ‘Lunatic’. Then asked to describe his music taste, he would reiterate the exact same word.
Jordan Pickford’s lunacy is what makes him great
Whilst it was once a curse, this supposed lunacy is now arguably his greatest asset, and what has made him so loved.
For England, his tongue-pulling and wide grins after making a save or a catch inspire mass hysteria, and whilst sometimes polarising, you can’t help but smile when watching him do his thing.
And, when he is such an important and clutch asset for Everton, he’s really impossible to criticise.
He pulls off the most sensational of saves, is a penalty-saving speciality, and is more often than not pinpoint with his passes.
If it takes a little bit of lunacy just to sharpen him up whilst on the pitch, then so be it. Hopefully tonight he can show the world his true crazy side, with the European Championships trophy in hand.
James Tarkowski has already sent a heartfelt message to Pickford, wishing him the best for the match.
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