Jordan Pickford Sets Sights on 100 England Caps as He Nears Gordon Banks Milestone

Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford is on the cusp of surpassing a legendary figure in English football history and has boldly set his sights on a rare milestone: 100 caps for the Three Lions. As England prepares to face Albania in a World Cup qualifier at Wembley on Friday night, the 31-year-old shot-stopper is poised to claim his 74th international appearance, moving ahead of World Cup hero Gordon Banks, who earned 73 caps between 1963 and 1972.

Pickford, a mainstay in the England squad since his debut in a 0-0 draw against Germany in November 2017, has been a cornerstone of the national team’s recent successes under former manager Gareth Southgate and now Thomas Tuchel. His journey has seen him star in two European Championship finals (2020 and 2024) and a World Cup semi-final (2018), cementing his reputation as one of England’s most reliable goalkeepers. With Banks’ tally in his sights, Pickford’s next target is clear—joining Peter Shilton (125 caps) as the only English goalkeepers to reach the century mark.

Speaking to The Mirror ahead of the Albania clash, Pickford expressed his ambition with characteristic determination. “Every time I have pulled on an England shirt, I have always performed, I have always stepped up to the plate,” he said. “The next achievement was to play in a World Cup and then getting the 50th cap… Now it’s getting level with Gordon Banks and hopefully get past Joe Hart and David Seaman. But the biggest motivation is just to be the best goalkeeper I can be, and that should hopefully take me to 100 caps because I’m doing the right things for club and country.”

Currently tied with Banks at 73 caps, Pickford’s expected start against Albania will see him edge past the 1966 World Cup winner, whose record of 720 consecutive scoreless minutes stood until Pickford eclipsed it with 721 minutes during Euro 2020. Should he feature in England’s subsequent qualifier against Latvia, Pickford will draw level with Joe Hart and David Seaman at 75 caps, placing him just two games shy of second place on England’s all-time goalkeeper appearance list.

The Washington-born keeper’s rise has been nothing short of remarkable. After cutting his teeth on loan spells across the English football pyramid with clubs like Darlington and Preston North End, Pickford broke through at Sunderland before securing a £30 million move to Everton in 2017—a transfer that made him Britain’s most expensive goalkeeper at the time. Since then, he has claimed Everton’s Player of the Season award four times, most recently in 2024-25, and has kept 13 clean sheets in 38 Premier League games this season alone.

His international pedigree is equally impressive. Pickford’s heroics in penalty shootouts—saving crucial kicks against Colombia (2018 World Cup), Switzerland (2019 Nations League), and Italy (Euro 2020)—have endeared him to fans and earned him praise as a big-game player. His latest clean sheet came in England’s 5-0 rout of the Republic of Ireland in November 2024, a match that saw him match Banks’ cap total.

Under new manager Thomas Tuchel, who took the reins in January 2025, Pickford faces fresh competition from the likes of Aaron Ramsdale and Nick Pope. Yet, his consistency and experience appear to have secured his spot as Tuchel’s first choice. “I’m learning about the game more and have more maturity,” Pickford told reporters. “When I first came on the scene, I was that young 23-year-old keeper learning his trade. Now I’ve learnt it, it’s about maintaining it and how can I improve each day.”

Everton manager Sean Dyche, who has overseen Pickford’s development since 2022, backed his goalkeeper to remain England’s No. 1 for years to come. “Jordan is relishing showing his qualities,” Dyche said. “There’s always people ready to take your jersey if you don’t play well, but I think he can be England’s first choice for the next four years.”