England player Jordan Pickford’s dad changed their last name after going through a tough family experience.
Jordan Pickford has been England’s number one goalkeeper for nearly ten years, and he’s usually one of the first names on Thomas Tuchel’s team list. But his name might have been very different!
Pickford holds the record for the most World Cup games played for England (18), beating legends like Peter Shilton and current stars like John Stones, Marcus Rashford, and Harry Kane. He has 89 caps overall and has kept clean sheets 44 times, including 9 in the World Cup. He’s aiming for his 90th if England wins their next match against Norway.
Interestingly, his family name wasn’t always Pickford. When Jordan was young, his dad legally changed their last name from “Pigford” to “Pickford” to help him avoid bullying at school. The original name came from “Pig Crossing,” but his dad wanted a kinder name for his son. He never imagined Jordan would grow up to become England’s most successful goalkeeper!
Though Pickford has been a key player for England, some have questioned his performances in this World Cup. Emmanuel Petit, for example, said he was unimpressed and thought Pickford could have done better on the first goal. He added, “If you want to go far, you need one of the strongest goalkeepers, and I’m not sure Pickford is that.”
Troy Deeney shared similar doubts. Still, Pickford bounced back impressively after a mistake against Croatia, making four crucial saves to stop Mexico from scoring. However, a strange goal from Norway has brought those worries back again.
Despite the ups and downs, Pickford remains a true icon for England, and fans will be hoping he can help lead the team forward.