Why isn’t Jordan Pickford starting for England against France at the 2026 World Cup?

England will look to win the 2026 World Cup third-place game against France at Miami Stadium, and coach Thomas Tuchel has surprisingly left Jordan Pickford out of the starting team for this crucial match.

In his place, Dean Henderson is set to make his World Cup debut in goal, getting a rare opportunity after spending the entire tournament as Pickford’s understudy.

As happens with Harry Kane, the decision has nothing to do with fitness or form. Pickford has been one of England‘s most reliable performers throughout the tournament, but with the match holding little competitive weight now that the final is out of reach, Tuchel has opted to give Henderson his first taste of World Cup action.

Jordan Pickford’s great World Cup campaign

Pickford leaves this tournament having delivered a strong campaign between the posts. Across seven appearances, he kept two clean sheets and made 12 saves, numbers that put him ahead of several of the tournament’s other elite goalkeepers.

While he conceded eight goals across the tournament, his five-save performance against Norway helped send England through to the semifinal against Argentina, where he was once again crucial, denying his opponents on several occasions.

Also, following the quarterfinal match against Norway, Pickford made his 18th World Cup appearance, breaking Peter Shilton’s long-standing record as England’s most-capped player in the tournament’s history.