Jordan Pickford 50th England cap will only be a milestone that pleases him if it comes with a win over France.
Everton's number one will hit the landmark should he play - which he is expected to - in the World Cup quarter-final tie on Saturday evening. He will be aiming to make it a fourth consecutive clean sheet as he looks to reach another World Cup semi-final with the national side.
Pickford made two huge saves in the knockout win over Senegal - both when the game was goalless - and has underlined his credentials as Gareth Southgate's first choice in Qatar.
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Speaking ahead of the France game he reflected on his 49 appearances and third major tournament between the posts for England so far. The 28-year-old told Sky Sports : "It's a massive achievement for me and my family. We've come a long way since 2017, when I made my debut at Wembley against Germany, keeping a clean sheet, and now I am on my third major tournament. It's very pleasing but it will only be nice when we get the win."
Pickford has been in top form for more than 18 months for both club and country. As well as leading England to the final of the Euros, he produced the official save of the season against Chelsea as part of a series of impressive performances that helped Everton avoid relegation last season. During this campaign he has produced outstanding saves against the likes of Darwin Nunez and Willian and established himself as the go-to captain when Seamus Coleman is absent.
On Saturday evening he will be facing Kylian Mbappe and Olivier Giroud and he said he had been doing his research into the France strikers. He said: "We know what Mbappe will bring to the game but we have got a very good defence and we have got a very good defensive record. Giroud is very good in the air so you have got be wary of the balls coming into the box because he's a danger, an aerial threat, but it's about us being prepared, giving our all on the defensive side, working hard off the ball like we have in the last three games with three clean sheets. It's everyone working hard off the ball to keep those clean sheets and putting in a massive shift, so that another thing we will do [against France]."
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