Jordan Pickford has been praised for fearless youngster Rio Ngumoha as England’s World Cup preparations offer an exciting glimpse of the future.
Saturday’s dramatic 1-0 win over New Zealand in Tampa was a moment of appreciation for Liverpool’s 17-year-old talent, becoming the youngest five-man in the national team.
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Training squad member Ngumoha showed promising moments as he stepped up, right-backs Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke were absent after Arsenal’s players were rested after last weekend’s Champions League final.
England’s goalkeeper who has been working for a long time in England, Pickford, said about the young man: “He was at a level, there is nothing that bothers him.
Rio Ngumoha became England’s first young fifth player (Bradley Collyer/PA) (PA Wire)
“He had a great season at Liverpool and the manager gave him his first game and he showed how good he is.
“All the young lads have been brilliant in training, they’ve held their own in the team and helped us a lot and it shows the talent we have in the programme.
“It’s a credit to the institutions of higher education and the approach we have to English football.”
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Josh King and Ethan Nwaneri, both 19, are among the training squad players and 22-year-old Alex Scott, who will all be hoping to follow Ngumoha by making their England debuts in a friendly against Costa Rica on Wednesday.
The game gives manager Thomas Tuchel a final chance to plan ahead of England’s Group L opener against Croatia on June 17, where Pickford will start as No.1 for a fifth straight major tournament.
“I’m very proud of it,” said the England stopper. “There were a lot of goalkeepers who were challenged along the way and I’m proud of myself for improving all week against Everton.
“I’m always setting goals to improve and there’s nothing better than wearing an England shirt. Everyone knows how passionate I am and that’s a huge source of pride for me and my family.”
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Pickford has seen a number of players come and go during that time, with Phil Foden, Cole Palmer and Harry Maguire among the most eye-catching exclusions from this summer’s World Cup squad.
“Every team changes,” he said. “Even in 2018, my first World Cup, we were six or seven or maybe eight in our first tournament.
“It is unfortunate that the boys are not selected but I am not the manager and I do not have to make those decisions.
“I put myself in the competition and work hard like everyone else but the competition is with England, the manager chooses the final team and we believe in the manager.
“We know we have to work hard and that’s what we’re doing.”
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England made the 200-mile trip back to their home base in West Palm Beach – beating New Zealand – as preparations for the World Cup continue at a faster pace than when they travel to Kansas City next weekend.
“The manager was very open in this camp,” added Pickford.
“We come to train but we have time off when people want to see their families or want to go shopping or eat or play golf, like I like to do.
“When we get to Kansas we know the game is on. This 10-day stretch is about getting the work in your legs, the messages in our legs and when we get to Kansas we’ll be ready.”
