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As Jordan Pickford prepares for his fifth tournament with England, the Three Lions stopper believes his side has every reason to be confident at this summer’s World Cup.
Thomas Tuchel’s side heads to North America aiming to end a six-decade wait for a major trophy for a World Cup that does not have a clear favourite.
Pickford on how England can win the World Cup
“That makes it even more important that we’re prepared as best as we can be, and at our best in each match,” Pickford tells FourFourTwo when asked if the lack of a clear favourite can help the Three Lions’ chances this summer.
“We have to be prepared better than anyone else, then hit our peak at the right time.”
Pickford’s first tournament with England saw the team reach their first World Cup semi-final since Italia 90 and was followed by back-to-back European Championship finals.
The Everton stopper is now one England’s most experienced players and clearly knows what it takes to reach the final stages of a tournament.
“To win the competition, you know you’re going to face moments of difficulty, so how we overcome those moments will define what we achieve,” he continues.
“It won’t be plain sailing. It’s going to be about how you navigate it. If you look back through history, the South American sides and Europe’s best teams tend to be there or thereabouts, and I don’t think that’ll change.
“I genuinely think we’re one of the best teams – how we get on is up to whether or not we can put out the best version of ourselves.”
And it goes without saying that lifting the World Cup trophy would be a dream come true for the 32-year-old.
“You get really excited about it and know what the end goal is, but there’s a lot of work to do beforehand,” Pickford admits. “We have to take each game as it comes.
“First it’s about topping the group, then getting on that journey in the knockouts. Of course you dream of winning it, of the vision, but it’s about doing the right work first.”
