Tuchel opens up England goalkeeper battle as Trafford challenges Pickford

England manager Thomas Tuchel has made clear that the competition to be the Three Lions' number one goalkeeper is now genuinely open. In Saturday's Nations League defeat, a 3-2 loss to Spain, Leeds goalkeeper James Trafford made his competitive debut for the national side.

Jordan Pickford has been England's undisputed first-choice goalkeeper since his 2017 debut, starting at every major tournament for a decade. He recently became England's most-capped World Cup goalkeeper, surpassing Peter Shilton, when he started the 2026 World Cup quarter-final win over Norway. Under both Gareth Southgate and, initially, Tuchel, Pickford faced no serious rival, starting nearly every qualifier and every match this past summer.

That is now changing. Tuchel confirmed that during this international break, both goalkeepers will each get two consecutive matches, as the manager looks to properly assess Trafford's level. He stressed that Pickford has done nothing wrong, but that the competition presented an opportunity to see how far Trafford has come.

Against Spain, the 23-year-old showed composure with the ball at his feet and produced a strong save to deny Ferran Torres, though he was beaten three times. His form this season has helped Leeds climb to fifth in the Premier League, including two clean sheets.

The road to Leeds

Trafford joined Leeds in a deal worth up to £45m. A product of Manchester City's academy, he moved to Burnley for £15m in 2023, where he endured a difficult spell before helping the club win promotion back to the top flight. He returned to City for £27m last summer but became second choice after the signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma. Trafford has also tasted success with England's youth sides, winning the 2023 U21 European Championship and saving a stoppage-time penalty in the final against Spain.