Whether you spilled your pint, your dinner or your coffee celebrating England’s goals against Senegal - don’t forget Jordan Pickford.
The Everton goalkeeper stuck out an arm with half an hour gone to pull off the save that changed the course of this match. It kept out a diagonal shot across him from the in-form Salernitana striker Boulaye Dia, who’d stolen into space in the box.
Pickford’s save eased nerves in Boxparks, boozers and living rooms up and down the land, with Senegal’s first-half confidence threatening to earn them the opening goal. The African champions haven’t been struggling for them, despite being written off pre-tournament as Sadio Mane failed to recover from a knee injury in time.
Five goals in their last two games here in Qatar tell their own story. Dia, called up in place of Mane, had been among their scorers before this. So the significance of Pickford’s first-half save cannot be overstated.
The plaudits will, of course, go to Jordan Henderson for defying the critics who believed he shouldn’t have started. Also Harry Kane for rediscovering his scoring touch just in time for the win-or-go-home section of this World Cup. And Bukayo Saka for hitting his second goal in four games here.
Bellingham, too, will be mentioned on the roll of honour, having run the living daylights out of the midfield. But the game takes on a very different complexion if Pickford doesn’t pull off that first-half save with the deadlock unbroken. Especially with Senegal so well-versed in seeing out games when they take the lead.
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Since England’s run to the European Championship final last year, the excellent Aaron Ramsdale has been the a key figure in Arsenal ’s rise to the top of the Premier League. Nick Pope, too, has been a superb last line of defence for a Newcastle team very much in the race for next season’s Champions League.
But there’s a reason why Gareth Southgate sticks with Pickford. There’s a reason why he stays so loyal to the man who can be prone to the odd rush of blood.
Alan Kelly, his goalkeeping coach at Everton, describes him as “fearless”. He is right. Like all good 'keepers, Pickford acts first and asks questions later. Some say he is too demonstrative. Some claim there are too many histrionics.
Pickford can answer back with three clean sheets in four World Cup matches. He will face Kylian Mbappe, Oliver Giroud and the France all-stars confident that he can cope with that step up in class.
Especially having shut out the Croatians, the Germans and the Czechs on the way to the European Championship final last year.
There’s no doubt that France will bring the firepower to their quarter-final to leave us all concerned that England’s dream run here in Qatar will come to a premature end.
But Pickford doesn’t just pull off top saves, he marshals a backline that provides the platform for the front six to express themselves. He has the experience of a World Cup semi-final and a European Championship final under his belt.
He knows the course and the distance. So when you celebrate this win at work, at school or in the pub, give Pickford a mention. He deserves it.
