I’m a passionate lad and I love it at Everton – Pickford

I'm a passionate lad and I love it at Everton – PickfordWhy Jordan Pickford is sticking with Everton

The similarities between Wayne Rooney and Jordan Pickford are striking.

Everton. England. Record-breakers.

The mutual respect – and shared love of club and country – is obvious as the former team-mates sit down for an in-depth chat on the Wayne Rooney Show.

Pickford and Rooney have played a combined 550 times for Everton and 202 times for England.

Rooney is England's all-time leading scorer and holds the record for the most England appearances – 120 – by an outfield player.

Pickford recently broke the record for most consecutive clean sheets by a Three Lions goalkeeper and, Rooney believes, is on his way to becoming the country's best ever in his position.

When they meet, the prospect of ending 60 years of hurt for England's men's team this summer is high on the agenda. One will be at the World Cup as the undisputed number one, the other will be there as a pundit.

"We need something as a nation to win," says Pickford, 32. "Any England ex-player… I don't think they'll ever be jealous. Everybody needs it, it's only going to push the England badge forward. It's football, it's going to make it grow.

"We would be legends for life. When you've been so close it does hurt, but it's got to drive you. We've been so close to winning something for England, so we can take that leadership on and that experience on to bring it all together.

"We know what it takes to get there and the commitment and dedication you need as a group of lads to get there. It's about getting over that final hurdle."

Wayne Rooney (left) and Jordan Pickford have played with each other for England and Everton

Pickford has played 82 times for England, having made his debut in a 0-0 draw against Germany in November 2017.

He was first called up to the national squad 13 months earlier – as a late replacement for a World Cup qualifier in Slovenia – and, aged 22, made an instant impression on Rooney – by sitting next to him.

"The first time I met you was when you were in the England squad," says Rooney. "I always remember being sat there and you got on the bus for the first time, and you came and sat next to me.

"I remember thinking, 'what's he like?' And I couldn't wait to get on the training pitch and try and dink you or something."

Pickford says: "Every seat was taken because I came late, I got called up late. I was more nervous when you said to me: 'Are you ready for the [induction] song later?'

"I watched you growing up and when I was watching you in the Euros and getting in an England squad, everyone looked up to you. So even then [on the bus] I was texting saying: 'I'm opposite Wazza.' I was shaking.

"I was on the bench and it was a great experience. My dream was to play for England. We know there's only that small percentage of kids growing up get that opportunity.

"When I came to Everton I knew I had to do well and I knew England was there for me because I went from under-16s to 20s all the way through 21s in the pathway.

"I got my opportunity against Germany at Wembley."

Pickford has played in every England match in each of the past four major tournaments – the 2018 World Cup, European Championship in 2021, 2022 World Cup and Euro 2024.

During that time, England have lost in two European finals and reached the semi-finals and quarter-finals of the World Cup.

Pickford, if fit, is guaranteed a starting spot at this summer's tournament in North America but does not take anything for granted.

"I think, 'I've got to keep improving' and that's why I've sustained it for so long," he says.

"I've never just been happy about being number one, it's like 'how can I be number one for that amount of years', then hitting targets… 2026 World Cup is a target.

"I want to keep improving and keep pushing myself… pushing boundaries when I'm out there to improve on the training pitch, to keep going as long as I can."

Pickford and Rooney played for Everton in the 2017-18 season

A few months before he made his England debut in 2017, Pickford joined Everton from Sunderland for an initial £25m.

Later that summer, Rooney, who had left Everton in 2004 and won five Premier League titles and the Champions League during 13 years at Manchester United, returned to Goodison Park.

"There was a price tag on me when I was being bought – the most expensive British keeper – so there was that pressure," Pickford says to Rooney. "I've always enjoyed the pressure and I knew I had to do something early to get the fans behind me.

"In your first game we won 1-0 and you scored the header and I made a decent save in my first home Premier League game at Goodison, so I set myself off on a good stall."

Rooney was instantly impressed with Pickford's performances,

"At the time I thought, 'this could be Everton and England's number one goalkeeper for a long time'," he says.

Nine years later and Pickford is just that – and in October signed a new contract to keep him with the Toffees until 2029.

But since he joined, Everton have not finished higher than eighth in the Premier League and they are in danger of missing out on European football for an eighth successive season.

During the interview, Rooney asks Pickford about his decision to stay.

"I don't agree, but a lot of people say 'why haven't you moved on from Everton?'" he says.

"For you to be so loyal, to what you have been to the club, it's quite rare these days.

"With your ability, you can say: 'Well, do you want to go and play Champions League?' But you've stuck with Everton. Why is it?"

Pickford, who has been voted fans' Player of the Year in three of the past four years, says: "We've just got that that bond really… you know what it's like here, the people.

"The gaffer [David Moyes] calls it the 'People's Club'. The staff are brilliant and it's where we live and go to the games. We just love it, my family love it.

"We know Everton should be in the European spots, but we know how hard it's been over the last few years and a rollercoaster we've been on, but they've been nothing but good to me.

"They took a chance on me as a 22-year-old kid and, I've repaid them, and I just love being here. Goodison, great memories, and the new stadium, it is moving forward.

"When you came back, when I first signed, we were in the Europa League. So if we sustained that, those questions wouldn't happen: 'Why is England's number one at Everton?' But people don't realise how such a big club Everton is.

"Everton's been too far away from silverware and we've not won anything for so long – that's what we need back."

Pickford helped England win a World Cup penalty shootout for the first time when he made this save from Colombia's Carlos Bacca in the last 16 of the 2018 tournament

Everton play their last home game of the season on Sunday when they host Pickford's former club Sunderland before ending their campaign at relegation-threatened Tottenham.

After that, it is not long before England travel to North America, were they are in the same World Cup group as Croatia, Ghana and Panama.

"I can't wait, it's some experience," says Pickford. "My mum, she'll text me saying, 'text us when you've got that text that you're being called up' and then she'll always say 'well done' when she sees it announced on social media.

"My focus is finishing this season strong, two solid performances, have a little break, then get into it. It's going to be a different experience, just thinking about all the travelling and the heat.

"There's no more pressure than being the England number one in a major tournament. The biggest thing is I'm a passionate lad… everyone might think I'm too passionate, but that brings the best out of me.

"I'm a fan. I've grown up watching Euros and World Cups. I've been around barbecues, been in the pubs watching as a young lad, and there's nothing better than having that opportunity to play in them.

"Not once in all the tournaments will I pack my bag because I know we're going to win. I've got that mentality that we're going to win and going to go so far."

Watch The Wayne Rooney Show on BBC iPlayer or listen on BBC Sounds

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