England's shot-stopper Jordan Pickford is eagerly anticipating the challenge of another major tournament semi-final as the national team aims to secure a spot in the European Championship final for the second consecutive edition with a victory over the Netherlands.
Gareth Southgate's squad have been heavily scrutinised throughout their Euro 2024 campaign, having failed to win a single match in regulation time since their opening group-stage triumph over Serbia.
However, after a penalty shootout success against Switzerland on Saturday, England have once again found themselves deep in the competition.
The upcoming clash against the Dutch will mark England's third semi-final appearance under Southgate's leadership, and Pickford, who denied Manuel Akanji from 12-yards in the previous shootout to set the tone, admits he relishes pressurised environments - just like tonight's last-four encounter in Dortmund.
“There is pressure but I love the pressure,” Pickford said.
“I love playing under that pressure and I thrive off it and that is just my mentality towards it. People might be a bit nervous but nerves are also a good thing.
“Every individual person is different but for me, the pressure of a semi-final – you want to be in the final – so I thrive under the pressure to make sure we get to the final.”
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Pickford has been a consistent presence in England's lineup, featuring in the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, as well as the recent Euros.
His impressive performances have seen him break several records, including the most consecutive tournament appearances, the most clean sheets, and the most penalty saves.
Pickford's dedication and commitment to the England national team are evident in his comments, where he expresses the honour of representing England and his focus on the team's success rather than individual accolades. He acknowledges the scrutiny that comes with being the England number one and emphasises his drive to be the best version of himself, both for his family and the fans.
“It is a huge honour but the bottom line is that we want to win the trophy,” he told ITV Sport.
“It is a huge honour to have all of those stats but I’m a team player and my main focus is the game coming up and also getting that result first to then look towards the final but I am all about the team and nothing but the team.
“As an England number one, as you’ve seen over the years, you get criticism and it is how you deal with that criticism.
“You’ve got to be perfect every game and for me I try to be the best version of myself. The noise, people can talk because if they are talking it means they care and they want you to be at your best.
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“I know when I’ve had a good game and can do better, when a goal goes in I know if I could have done better.
“I just focus on myself to be the best version of myself, for my family and, when I’ve got the England shirt on, for the fans.”
