Jordan Pickford England Press Conference — Argentina v England 🏆 2026 FIFA World Cup

[0:00] I'm going down. [0:33] I'm going down. [1:11] I'm going down. [2:05] I'm going down. [2:51] I'm going down. [3:50] I'm going down. [3:52] I'm going down. [3:53] It's a great honour and we're reaching targets that we want to reach and we're reaching levels that we want to reach and we want to keep pushing and we know the end goal but we always take it step by step. [4:05] And the first chapter was to get through the group stage and then the manager mentioned about going through the grind of Mexico and Congo and we know every game's a challenge and now our next challenge is Argentina and we'll be set up and ready for them. [4:22] Does it feel special? [4:23] Yeah, it feels special but it's a job and we've got that togetherness and that mentality that we want to keep pushing and it's another game of football against a top nation and that's what we're here to do. Every game's tough in the World Cup and Argentina's our next task. [4:38] Speaking of Argentina, this is the first time England have ever come up against a chap called Lionel Messi. Give us the goalkeeper's perspective on what makes him so dangerous. [4:47] Yeah, I think he's scored so many goals and he's contributed to so many goals as well over his career and it's great to be able to finally come up against him for so long and watching him as a kid and yeah, but we all know how good Messi is but we also know how good Argentina is so we can't just solely rely on Messi. [5:09] We've got our focus on the other strengths as well and the other weaknesses we can take advantage of. [5:14] Hi Jordan, well done on the darts. [5:16] Thanks for it. [5:17] What are your memories of Argentina? Games, as in old games, that you've watched back against England? [5:25] I think it's, what was the last one was it? [5:29] 2005. [5:30] Was it 2005? Too far back for me. [5:32] No, I think, yeah, it's always a competitive game and for me it's always, we look at the route, the upsets of not England versus Argentina, I think you look at the route everyone's getting here and I think it's the top four nations in the world. [5:50] We're playing against each other in the semi-finals and yeah, it's going to be a great game, a great atmosphere and something we want to thrive on. [5:58] What would it mean for you as a player having gone through this, you know, from 2018 onwards, what would it mean to you to beat a team like Argentina and get England into a World Cup final? [6:07] Yeah, I think anyone in front of us, we're ready and want to beat and same as Argentina, they want to come and beat us but it's about us putting our best performance on to go and beat them. [6:18] We know it's going to be a tough challenge, like every game is, never take any game for granted, never take it lightly and it's about us being on our A game ready for them. [6:29] Hi Jordan, what's the biggest difference from that first semi-final to now in feeling, how different do you feel compared to then? [6:35] No, I don't feel much difference, it's just a bit older, a bit wiser for myself. Every, you know, you've got to be proud to get here and you've got to roll your sleeves up and go again and be ready for the challenge and, you know, we've got that togetherness, we've got that winning mentality and we know what we've got to do on Wednesday against Argentina. [6:56] You've got that core group, haven't you, John Stones, Harry, who have all played throughout this period and helped the team grow, so I'm just wondering if it's still special for you guys to come back to another World Cup semi-final after two Euros finals as well? [7:09] Yeah, I think for me as well, we were unfortunate in Qatar against France, I think we were the better side and didn't come out on top in that day and, yeah, we've got to take their moments and their moments in your career, looking back at 2018, [7:25] and then two Euro finals as well, so you've got to take their moments and learn from them and this is our moment to go and play against Argentina and hopefully come out on top. [7:36] Jordan, the managers of the game weekend, if you could, the mentality of the group, can you give us a sense of how much it takes out of you psychologically, behind into everything that came with Mexico as well? [7:52] Yeah, I think that just shows our togetherness as a group, as England, that mentality we have, it is a credit for ourselves and the manager for driving it and I think that shows our, I've always said in interviews and messages, I've always said the togetherness gets you there, then the ability shows as well, but the togetherness, if you've got that togetherness like we have, that's a great tool to have and, yeah, it's been great and long and may continue and we'll just keep pushing that. [8:22] We know we've got that, now it's about the ability of the football. [8:26] Talking of togetherness, I'll ask you about one of the key members of the group, a new cult hero is emerging, big Dan Byrne who has come on in the last couple of games. [8:35] For the squad as a whole, how much is it meant to see him come on and do his bit in two big wins? [8:40] Just shows the character he has, he's a lad and, you know, not played much at all then, coming on from Mexico and making seven or eight challenges with his head and that overhead kick from Jimenez and he just stood there and took it like a man and, yeah, but that's what you do, you train well. [8:57] And once you get your opportunity, you take it and he's been brilliant and everyone's seen the video of him heading that last ball, but I think I was heading it myself with him. [9:06] So, but that's, that's a character he is and that's a character we have in the squad and that's, that's a mentality we have as well. [9:12] Okay, we'll go middle right back. [9:14] Blue with T-shirt, thanks. [9:15] Then we'll work our way forward. [9:17] Thanks. [9:25] Hey, Jordan, Taylor Kaufman, KNBC 9 in Kansas City. [9:28] What was it like playing golf with Patrick Mahomes? [9:32] He was, he was on a photo shoot and just to see him, see another top athlete at the top of his game and, yeah, it was, it was nice to, to meet him, a legend in Kansas and around the world of people like NFL and he was just such a nice person and down to earth and that's a credit to him and his family and that's how people become successful. [9:54] And what's your time been like overall in Kansas City? [9:57] You guys have been here for quite a while now. [10:00] No, it's been, it's been really good. [10:02] The people around the, around the area are staying, lovely people, always very polite and that's what we like. [10:09] We're polite people as well. [10:10] So we'll go out on the bikes and everyone says hello, everyone says morning, afternoon and it's been really nice and, you know, they've respected us so well. [10:19] Thanks, good luck. [10:20] Tom. [10:21] Hey, Jordan. [10:22] Argentina have got quite a goalkeeper themselves in, in Martinez. [10:27] He's, he's someone obviously played a massive role in them winning the tournament last time around. [10:32] He's someone we know well in the Premier League. [10:34] He's someone whose antics at times have been quite successful. [10:39] What, what do you make of him as a goalkeeper and, and would you also employ those kind of tactics from a mind game perspective if it came to penalties or anything like that? [10:48] No, I think he's, what a career going to Arsenal, I remember. [10:52] I'll never forget playing against him when he went on loan to Wolves when I was at Preston North End and for me, you know, the pathway he went on and he had to wait to get his chance for Argentina. [11:02] Then he took it and yeah, he's antics are his antics and, but as a goalkeeper, he's a, he's a top keeper and, you know, it's, that's, that's what top keepers do. [11:12] Whether he, he has his antics or I have my antics, it's, it's about putting the gloves on and putting that performance in and he's done that for Estonville, he's done it for Argentina and yeah, I've got to give credit for him as a goalkeeper. [11:23] And England versus Argentina, it's a game with a lot of history, even if it sort of predates when you've, you know, your time in the game. [11:31] I think it comes with a lot of baggage for a lot of fans, World Cup 98, obviously 86. [11:36] How do the current squad sort of put aside any of that history so they can focus on themselves going into this game? [11:42] Yeah, I think it's just solely focused on us as England now and us being at our best to be another top nation and it's us against them to get a place in the final. [11:52] And it's a game of football, 90 minutes, 120 penalties, we're ready for anything and it's us against them at the end of the day and it's about who comes out on top and we're fully prepared for that. [12:03] Jordan, hello, I'm Catalina Barbot from Texas Sports TV, Argentinian TV. [12:08] I want to know, there is a lot of people saying that Leo Messi is going to play against England for the first time, but also it's your first time playing against Argentina. [12:18] And in our country, it's really special this match, all the people are wondering this match and I want to ask you if you are feeling any different emotion in the previous of this match about the rivalry in the history, also in World Cup matches? [12:33] No, I think, yeah, I've said it earlier, I think we're, me, us in Argentina and Spain and France are the top four nations in the world in the rankings and we've all got, we've all got the stage to get to get to the final and this is us against them. [12:49] And another great nation to play against and first time playing for myself against Argentina and, yeah, what a game it's going to be and it's about us beating them. [12:59] And I want to know if you have been seen and watching the Argentinian matches in this World Cup and if you did, what concerns you the most about preparing this match? [13:08] I've watched bits. We all know how good Messi is, but we also know how hard-working team they are and, yeah, it's about us, England being prepared for Argentina and that's what we'll do. [13:21] Hi, Fox. [13:22] Hi, Jordan, Alonso Cabral from Fox, Mexico, Antiguo Sports, Central America, about the Argentina-Ingland rivalry. [13:31] Lionel Scaloni said that he hopes it's just a football game and nothing happens around. [13:38] Can you send a message to the fans, to the Argentinian and England fans, that it's only a football game and because there's a lot of rivalry and especially from the South American side, there's a lot of history in this match. [13:54] Do you expect to be only a football game and also, do you think, are you worried about the referees because all that's been said about Argentina's game in this World Cup? [14:07] Yeah, I think it's just a game of football and both passionate set of fans going there to watch a top-level game of football and that's what football does. [14:17] It brings fans together, it brings the nations together and it'll be, it's both proud nations, that's the key to it, we're both proud nations and, but yeah, the football will do, it's talking and, um, regarding the referees, that's their job. [14:30] We can't control that narrative and it's about just focusing us on football. [14:36] Thank you. [14:36] Well, let this person come pass, the skip dog. [14:39] All right. [14:42] All right, skip. [14:44] Thanks. [14:45] Didn't have any gel to borrow off you, so I'm about to go for this look. [14:48] Can we go to Henry, Winston, and then Ed after. [14:53] Thank you, Jordan. [14:54] Hi, good luck on Wednesday. [14:56] Thanks. [14:56] The whole country's behind you. [14:58] What does that feel like, to have that support? [15:03] Amazing. [15:04] You know, what we, how we feel, you see us after each and every game and have the nation behind us back at home. [15:12] It doesn't go in unseen. [15:13] We know how much it means to them, but it also knows how much it means to us and we pay huge credit to them, enjoying themselves. [15:20] And we, we, we, we're doing it for them as well. [15:23] We're, we're, we've brought this nation together. [15:25] That was the first goal in 20, looking back at 2018. [15:27] It was about connecting that nation together now. [15:30] And now it's that step. [15:31] Now we're in the semi-final and we want to, we know we can't look past Argentina. [15:35] It's going to be a tough game, a top game. [15:37] But we, we want to put smiles on their faces as well. [15:40] You'd have been eight in 2002 when England played in Sapporo. [15:44] It was a Friday lunchtime. [15:46] Would you have been at school? [15:47] Would you have been watching it? [15:48] Would you have been playing outside, skipping school or working? [15:51] No, I remember being sat in the school all with, on, on the floor watching when the teacher wheeled the TV. [15:57] And so I'll never forget that moment. [16:00] And I think we got to school early to watch it that day. [16:02] So yeah, it was, I was the only young kid. [16:05] I was probably surprised I was still in school then. [16:09] Ed Aronson. [16:10] Hi, Jordan. [16:13] You mentioned before about, you played in the semi-final before, obviously. [16:19] But with everything that's going on with this game and the build-up, you see all the questions about the rivalry. [16:24] Do you think that this is the biggest game that you've ever played in, personally? [16:28] Yeah, I think in 2018 we had the opportunity to get to the final. [16:32] And it's the same goes on Wednesday, regardless of the rivalry. [16:37] I think it's about us being at our best and, yeah, to get to the final in the World Cup is going to be a great honour. [16:44] And that's what the challenge is on Wednesday. [16:47] And you mentioned before, obviously, the other two finals, the Euros and the semi-final, the second semi-final at the World Cup. [16:54] It's time to win something now, do you think? [16:56] It's time that England get over the line? [16:59] Yeah, that's everybody's dream. [17:01] But the challenge is Wednesday. [17:03] We won't look past Wednesday. [17:04] We know it's going to be a tough opponent, a proud nation with a lot of talent. [17:08] And it's us versus Emma Wednesday, and we need to be our best version of ourselves to get to that opportunity come Sunday. [17:15] But it's all about Wednesday first. [17:18] Can I come forward to the second row here? [17:21] Cheers. [17:26] Hi, Jordan. [17:27] Lionel Messi missed penalty twice in this World Cup, and his record is not good about the penalty. [17:33] If he gets a chance again against you, how does it give the confidence that record? [17:42] No, I think, you know, I don't know how many penalties he's taken over his career. [17:46] Everyone, I don't think anyone in the world's got a 100% record if they're constantly taking penalties. [17:51] Yeah, but I don't think for such a player like Messi, that'll phase him. [17:57] He'll just get on with it, and it's about me against him if it comes to that moment to execute my save, my dive, to cancel out his penalty. [18:06] But, yeah, I don't think it's going to phase him with his record, you know. [18:09] Just passing my behind there. Thank you. [18:14] Hi, Jordan. [18:15] Obviously, a lot of the theme and the story before this game is maybe about stopping Messi for England. [18:21] But how important is it for, actually, Argentina to have to think about Jude and Harry, obviously, two elite players at the top of their game at the moment? [18:29] Yeah, of course. [18:31] You know, everyone will talk about Messi because he's one of the go-to-the-game. [18:34] But you can't look past how the ability and the talent we've got in the squad going forward, defensively, togetherness. [18:41] We've got it all there. [18:43] And that's what we need to put on show on Wednesday. [18:46] But we also can't just talk about Messi. [18:49] They're a good side and they're reigning champions. [18:52] So, yeah, they're a good side. [18:53] But we've got so much ability in our squad going forward and we're hard to break down. [18:58] We've got that resilience. [19:00] We've got that togetherness and we've got that mentality. [19:02] You know, that's what makes a good team. [19:04] And obviously, one of the famous memories of this particular game is David Beckham getting sent off in 98 [19:12] from Diego Simeone. [19:14] We know that the Argentines sometimes like to utilise the dark arts. [19:17] How important is it that the team are aware of that and also don't lose their heads amid the kind of ferocity of this fixture? [19:24] Yeah, I think you've seen, you know, throughout the tournament, you've seen our desire to win titles. [19:32] We've not gotten into any scuffles or anything. [19:35] We've been very well respected within the game. [19:38] You know, decisions go our way. [19:39] They don't go our way. [19:40] We just reset, we go again and we let the football do the tournament. [19:44] And I think that's what we've done throughout the tournament. [19:46] We've not had any, apart from Jarrell, not any suspensions, no second yellow cards or anything like that. [19:50] So, it just shows our mentality we have and we don't get wrapped up in sort of things like that. [19:56] We stay for us. [19:57] We stay together. [19:57] Hi, Christian Delocchio from Paginados, Argentina. [20:04] A lot of the Argentina squad has a Premier League players, like a lot. [20:11] You have been your whole career in Premier League. [20:13] Do you, which one are you most worried about or which one do you know the most? [20:19] Yeah, I've watched football all my life and, you know, especially watch games, Champions League, etc. [20:25] So, yeah, you know most of the players and, yeah, they've got very good individuals and they're a good team. [20:32] So, you've got to be wary of them all. [20:34] But we've been on our way again to be ready for them Wednesday. [20:37] And after the triumph over Norway, there was a little noise in social media about the coach talking about not a mentality issue, [20:49] but some that didn't fulfill him about the game. [20:55] Are you training about something special for this game? [20:59] Yeah, I think that, like the manager said, the mentality we have in abundance and the togetherness we have. [21:05] But we're not the finished article. [21:07] We always want to improve. [21:08] We're in the semifinal. [21:09] We always want to keep improving as a team. [21:12] And the cream rises to the top and we'll always keep working harder to keep improving. [21:17] Because you don't want to just think, oh, yeah, the job's done against Norway. [21:20] We've got to improve for the next game and the next game after that. [21:23] So, yeah, there's always improvement in football and you always want to drive improvement as well [21:27] from yourself as an individual point of view and togetherness and as a team point of view. [21:32] Thank you, everyone. [21:33] Appreciate your time today. [21:34] Cheers. [21:35] Cheers, guys. [21:36] Well, it's for you on the way. [21:38] I know. [21:40] In the past, you know, you've had a microphone, Jeff Spence, that's one of Walter Rodgers. [22:26] I don't know if I can have a pastry for two days more. [22:54] Thank you, guys. [22:56] Thank you. [22:56] Thank you. [22:57] Thank you. [22:58] Thank you. [22:59] Thank you.