England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford preached “belief the method” after his penalty shootout heroics towards Switzerland.
Pickford received down low to maintain out Switzerland’s first spot-kick, denying Manuel Akanji.
Whereas the 30-year-old couldn’t stop the Swiss scoring from their subsequent three makes an attempt, England stayed good by means of the shootout, with Trent Alexander-Arnold holding his nerve to ship Gareth Southgate’s staff into the Euro 2024 semi-finals.
Pickford has now saved 4 of the 14 penalties he has confronted in shootouts at main tournaments, twice as many as all different England goalkeepers mixed saved between 1990 and 2012 (two out of 36).
Pictures shared broadly on social media confirmed Pickford’s water bottle had an inventory of every of Switzerland’s penalty takers, and a route through which he ought to dive.
4 – Jordan Pickford has saved 4 of the 14 penalties he has confronted in shootouts at main tournaments, twice as many as all different England goalkeepers mixed saved between 1990 and 2012 (2 out of 36). Hero. pic.twitter.com/vspFL4aZLG
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) July 6, 2024
And the Everton shot-stopper defined how he needed to adapt his routine barely in Dusseldorf, although he nonetheless trusted his course of regardless.
He informed ITV Sport: “The referee didn’t let me do my normal course of so I’ve needed to adapt. I like to provide the lads the ball, it helps me with a little bit of focus, and staying calm, however I might solely do it on the primary one – fortunately I saved it!
“I belief my course of, what I do, with my mentality, that I’m going to save lots of no less than one for the lads.
“However huge respect to the lads that stood up and took one and to attain in the way in which they did – enormous credit score.
Two lads making their main event debuts on this event, after which Bukayo [Saka] coming off the again of 2021 and stepping up – it exhibits the character in our squad.
“We’ve received a fast turnaround however we’re nonetheless right here, and that’s what we would like and what the nation desires.”
For simply the second time of their tenth shootout at a serious event, England scored each single considered one of their penalties within the shootout (5/5), additionally doing so towards Spain at Euro 1996 (4/4).
