A FIFA World Cup technical study showed where the Everton goalkeeper stands in his distribution.
Jordan Pickford has long been hailed for the quality of his distribution, with England’s 3-2 win over Spain earlier in the week highlighting just that.
The Everton goalkeeper created moves for two goals in the game thanks to accurate passing over distance, proving to be an integral part of England’s play going forward.
That is a brilliant achievement for any goalkeeper, but a technical study carried out by FIFA on the World Cup shows just how good Pickford is.
The study highlights that Pickford averaged 34 passes a game – a comfortable six over the average at the tournament, and just one fewer than Manuel Neuer – and did it at an accuracy of 77%, again a figure well above the average of 68%.
Pickford’s passing distance was notable, too, as 16 of those 34 passes a game were considered ‘long’, which is a significant figure for an accurate passer.
If there were any remaining doubts that Pickford can pass a ball with the best of them, this should put them to bed.
Everton and England have a real weapon in their arsenal here, and it is one that could come to serve both incredibly well over the coming years.
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