Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that James Trafford will start in goal against Spain tonight. Trafford deserves his chance, but with the world champions waiting in Madrid and top spot in the Nations League group at stake, I’d start Jordan Pickford.
A lacklustre England needed their captain again on Thursday. Harry Kane, the Ballon d’Or winner, scored the penalty that sealed a 2–1 win over Croatia at Wembley on the night he overtook Peter Shilton to become the most-capped player in the history of England’s men’s team. That win secured a quarter-final place. Beat Spain and England will top the group and play the second leg of their quarter-final at home. There’s more at stake than the quarter-final draw, though.
A decade on from Gareth Southgate’s appointment, England have had their most sustained run of success at major tournaments since 1966. They finished fourth at the 2018 World Cup, reached two European Championship finals and lost to reigning champions France in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals. Southgate made England believe again in 2018, but by the time he stepped down after the 2–1 defeat to Spain in the Euro 2024 final, some of that belief had faded. For all the progress, England were still defined by how close they’d come.
The dramatic 3–2 win over Mexico at the Azteca this summer made it feel as though Tuchel’s England might go a step further. They finished third at the World Cup, but the semi-final against Argentina felt familiar. England pressed well and went ahead through Anthony Gordon, then dropped deeper. Tuchel said that had already started before he made his changes, but replacing Gordon with Ezri Konsa took away one of England’s best ways of getting up the pitch. Argentina scored twice late on. It brought back memories of the Euro 2020 final, when Southgate’s side took an early lead against Italy and spent much of the game trying to hold on before losing on penalties.
England need to prove to themselves that they can take the game to the best sides and keep doing it when the pressure builds. A win in Madrid would be remembered alongside the 5–1 in Munich or Southgate’s 3–2 win in Seville. Spain are unbeaten in 44 competitive matches. Beating them on their own ground could give England belief for the Nations League knockout rounds and, further ahead, Euro 2028, which England will co-host.
Tuchel says he wants to see Trafford in a high-pressure game. Trafford is a solid Premier League goalkeeper, but I still find the decision baffling. He already started against Spain in September, when England lost 3–2 at Wembley. Pickford is England’s number one. He has 94 caps to Trafford’s four and has played in two European Championship finals. If Tuchel sees Spain away as the biggest test in international football, why leave his best goalkeeper on the bench?
If England go ahead in Madrid, I want to see them give Spain something to worry about at the other end. It’s a chance to show they’ve learned from the summer, and I’d give them the best chance of taking it by starting Pickford.
