England fans offer to buy Jordan Pickford Sky TV in his bedroom and Nando’s after hilarious old tweets emerge following penalty heroics
Keeper's spot-kick save sent Three Lions through to World Cup quarter-finals, and fans are ready to repay him in full
ENGLAND FANS offered to pay for Jordan Pickford's Sky TV subscription and buy him Nando's after his heroics sent the Three Lions through to the World Cup quarter-finals.
The Everton keeper's crucial save from Carlos Bacca helped England to a first ever penalty shoot-out win at a World Cup, but the 24-year-old has come a long way in the last few years.
Pickford's tweets, sent while 18 and 19 as part of the Sunderland academy, went viral after the game as England fans celebrated a first tournament knockout win since 2006.
The keeper did not confine his excellence to the shoot-out, flying to keep out Mateus Uribe's goalbound strike in the 93rd minute while England still led 1-0, earning him 'save of the tournament' plaudits.
Although Yerry Mina then powered in from the resulting corner to put celebrations on hold, Pickford's save from Bacca allowed Eric Dier to slot in the winning kick and put England into the last eight.
Fans found Pickford's tweets soon afterwards, some offering to pay for his Sky TV and a celebratory Nando's.
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The saves were the culmination of a long journey for Pickford, having been loaned out SIX times by Sunderland before securing his place in the first team.
Bouncing from Darlington to Preston via Conference side Alfreton Town, the Washington-born stopper had to bide his time before a breakout season in the sticks at the Stadium of Light in 2016/17.
That bought 'Picky' a £30million move to Everton the following summer, where he played every minute in the Premier League last season.
He also caught the eye of Gareth Southgate, who drafted him into the England squad for the first time in October 2016.
His debut came against none other than world champions Germany at Wembley, keeping a clean sheet as England battled for a 0-0 draw.
Pickford has previous in international tournaments, saving Yannick Gerhardt's spot kick in the under-21 European Championship semi-final against Germany, but England would go on to lose the shoot-out.
He geared up for Russia on holiday in Barbados with childhood sweetheart girlfriend Megan Davison.
Davison, 22, is a university graduate and met Pickford while they were in still in school.
Aged eight, he joined Sunderland's youth academy and went on to make 35 appearances for the Black Cats before his Goodison switch.
Burton Albion, Carlisle United and Bradford City all gave him a taste of the Football League before he made the Sunderland No1 shirt his own under David Moyes.
Other tweets reveal Pickford to be a huge Peter Schmeichel fan growing up, while he also dabbled at other sports.
He was a keen boxer as a kid, joining the Washington Boxing Club aged nine, and also loves golf and motocross.
Skipper Harry Kane put England ahead in the second half against Colombia, converting a penalty he himself won to go two clear of Romelu Lukaku in the Golden Boot race with his sixth of the tournament.
But Mina's header deep into stoppage time sent the game to extra time, moments after Pickford's spectacular save from Uribe.
After David Ospina kept out Jordan Henderson's penalty in the shoot-out, Uribe was denied again - this time by the crossbar - before Bacca was met by Pickford's strong palm.
It was a redemption of sorts for the keeper, criticised for his inability to keep out Adnan Januzaj's strike in the 1-0 defeat to Belgium, but he more than made up for it on a famous night in Moscow.
