England's goalkeeper options - ranked

  • England have a number of candidates for the No. 1 shirt
  • A new era beckons for the Three Lions after Gareth Southgate's departure
  • Jordan Pickford has long been England's first-choice goalkeeper
Pickford was Southgate's favourite stopper
Pickford was Southgate's favourite stopper / Alex Livesey/GettyImages
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There's a famous old Nike advert which features Paolo Maldini and the tagline 'Italy's goalkeeper - easiest job in Europe'.

Unfortunately for England, they don't have Maldini marshalling the defence, so it matters greatly who they have between the sticks.

Jordan Pickford has long been favoured as the country's best goalkeeper by Gareth Southgate, but the departure of the former Three Lions boss and promotion of Lee Carsley throws his starting spot into doubt.

Here's 90min's ranking of England's goalkeeping options.


8. Jason Steele

Jason Steele
Steele faces an uncertain future at Brighton / Eddie Keogh/GettyImages

Jason Steele was a surprise revelation for Brighton during 2022/23, replacing Robert Sanchez partway through the campaign.

The former England Under-21 goalkeeper impressed under Roberto De Zerbi and shared minutes with Bart Verbruggen last season. However, under new manager Fabian Hurzeler, it remains to be seen whether he's fancied ahead of his younger teammate.

Regular minutes for the Seagulls could see him considered under Carsley, but there is a distinct possibility that he never makes a senior appearance for his country. He hasn't started a Premier League game since Matchday 2.


7. Jack Butland

Jack Butland
Butland is an underappreciated goalkeeper / Visionhaus/GettyImages

Jack Butland was once regarded as England's answer between the sticks and made nine caps for his country. However, for a while, his club career faded into obscurity and he's rarely been considered since.

A move to Rangers has thrust Butland back into the picture. He kept over 20 clean sheets in Scotland during 2023/24 and if he were playing in the Premier League, he may well have made the Euro 2024 squad.

There remains an outside chance that he still has a future with his country.


6. James Trafford

James Trafford
Trafford got his first taste of the Premier League in 2023/24 / George Wood/GettyImages

While Euro 2024 definitely came too early for James Trafford, he is someone to keep a close eye on moving forward.

Despite his benching towards the end of 2023/24, Trafford gained plenty of valuable experience during his debut Premier League season with Burnley. He was the hero of England's Under-21s triumph at the European Championship in the summer of 2023, saving a stoppage-time penalty against Spain in the final.

Trafford also got plenty of experience playing out from the back under previous Clarets head coach Vincent Kompany, which bodes well for the future. Former U21s manager Carsley has spoken glowingly of the young goalkeeper in the past, and has specifically praised Trafford's "mentality".


5. Sam Johnstone

Sam Johnstone
Johnstone joined Wolves in the summer / David Rogers/GettyImages

Sam Johnstone was aiming to make it to back-to-back Euros squads having enjoyed a resurgent campaign with Crystal Palace in 2023/24.

However, his dreams of securing a ticket for the plane journey to Germany were squashed when he suffered a season-ending injury last April, opening the door for former teammate Dean Henderson to take his place.

Having been pushed out of the exit door at Selhurst Park, Johnstone will be hopeful of reviving his England career following a summer move to Wolverhampton Wanderers.


4. Aaron Ramsdale

Aaron Ramsdale
Rmasdale has made the move to Southampton / Matthew Lewis/GettyImages

It appeared that Ramsdale had a serious future with England after first emerging at Arsenal, even threatening to displace the reliable Pickford between the sticks.

However, David Raya's arrival in north London pushed Ramsdale down the pecking order, with a few notable errors justifying Mikel Arteta's decision to chop the stopper.

After a summer of speculation, the former Bournemouth and Sheffield United goalkeeper moved to newly promoted Southampton for 2024/25, where he will aim to play his way into Carsley's plans.

However, Ramsdale has not yet benefitted from regular minutes on the South Coast in regard to his England career.


3. Dean Henderson

Dean Henderson
Henderson is now Palace's undisputed No. 1 / Sebastian Frej/MB Media/GettyImages

After making the permanent switch to Crystal Palace in the summer of 2023, Dean Henderson didn't enjoy a great start to life in London.

A serious thigh injury restricted his game time upon arrival at Selhurst Park and he had to compete with Johnstone for minutes in 2023/24.

However, his teammate's injury blow opened the door for the former Manchester United goalkeeper and Johnstone's subsequent exit in the summer window makes him Palace's automatic first-choice. Henderson's been a relatively bright light amid a dire start to the season for Oliver Glasner's Eagles.

He has been called up by Carsley for the England manager's first two squads, which is a positive sign moving forward.


2. Nick Pope

Nick Pope
Pope is fully fit in 2024/25 after injuries last term / Matt McNulty/GettyImages

If you're looking for a goalkeeper who is great with his hands and adept at keeping the ball out of the back of the net, Nick Pope is your man.

The former Burnley man has been in brilliant form ever since he arrived at Newcastle United but missed a massive chunk of the 2023/24 campaign after undergoing shoulder surgery back in December.

The stopper missed Euro 2024 as a result but has now returned to the Newcastle net for the current campaign. He's re-emerged as one of the Premier League's best shot-stoppers at the start of the new season and is once again pushing Pickford for a starting berth for Carsley's Three Lions.


1. Jordan Pickford

Jordan Pickford
Pickford is still England's first-choice / Robbie Jay Barratt - AMA/GettyImages

Jordan Pickford remains a divisive figure among England supporters, with the Everton goalkeeper long criticised for his proneness to gaffes. Juggling the ball off the bar in the 96th minute of the Merseyside derby to gift Divock Origi an open goal springs to mind.

However, Pickford has largely eradicated his error-strewn performances at club level and become far more consistent for the Toffees.

The former Sunderland goalkeeper was always preferred as Southgate's first-choice stopper and has seldom put a foot wrong for the Three Lions. He was a reliable performer as England reached the Euro 2024 final.

Carsley's arrival does offer a potential mix-up - although it remains to be seen how long he will be in the dugout - but Pickford's starting spot is safe for now.


READ MORE ON ENGLAND'S SQUAD OPTIONS & BEST IN EVERY POSITION

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