James Trafford appears genuinely offended by the suggestion. The Leeds goalkeeper responds with near disbelief when asked whether his previous season at Manchester City had been frustrating or even wasted. “I won two trophies,” he replies plainly and emphatically.
Goalkeepers need resilience, and Trafford displays plenty of it both on and off the field. Selected in England’s starting lineup against Spain at Wembley on Saturday for only his third international appearance, he delivered an assured performance. He was especially impressive during the opening 35 minutes, when the world champions threatened to take control. Two outstanding saves kept England competitive and helped create the platform for a 2-1 half-time advantage. England eventually lost the Nations League opener 3-2 after Harry Kane failed to convert a 54th-minute penalty that would have made it 3-1.
The question about his time at City was understandable because the circumstances remain fresh in the memory. Trafford returned from Burnley to his boyhood club in July last year expecting to become Pep Guardiola’s first-choice goalkeeper and succeed Ederson after eight distinguished seasons. However, following three Premier League games, Guardiola recruited Gianluigi Donnarumma from Paris Saint-Germain and immediately made him the preferred option.
Trafford featured in every round of both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup, recording clean sheets in the two finals as City defeated Arsenal and Chelsea. “It obviously wasn’t ideal how it panned out but looking back … I got two trophies to my name that I played every game in,” Trafford says. “You take the positives. You play the cards you’re dealt.”
The 23-year-old now finds himself in a very different position. Much has changed since he joined Leeds in August, and he has played a major role in the club’s unbeaten opening to the Premier League campaign. His total of 20 saves is the highest in the division, while his 85.7% save rate is also unmatched. Across five matches, he has conceded only three goals.
Trafford senses a genuine opportunity with England because the first-choice role appears open for the first time in eight years. Jordan Pickford has held the position firmly since Sir Gareth Southgate selected him for the 2018 World Cup. Since then, Pickford has collected 91 caps and registered 47 clean sheets.
The Everton goalkeeper has been the established starter for so long that Thomas Tuchel’s decision to select Trafford against Spain caused some surprise. Tuchel also confirmed that Trafford would face Czechia in Prague on Tuesday evening. Pickford is expected to return for the final two fixtures of this Nations League window, away to Croatia in Rijeka and at home to Czechia at Wembley.
The choice may have been less unexpected after Pickford’s uneven World Cup displays during the summer. Several long-range efforts beat him in situations where observers felt he might have reacted better. When Enzo Fernández scored for Argentina in England’s semi-final defeat, Jude Bellingham appeared to point out that the shot had gone through the central area of the goal, an opinion shared by others.
Pickford was also beaten at his near post by the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the last 32. On several occasions, his ventures outside the penalty area caused anxiety among England supporters and created the sense that a costly mistake might be approaching. Ultimately, however, no such error occurred.
Tuchel’s decision to divide playing time between Trafford and Pickford inevitably invites interpretation, particularly because Trafford was chosen for the demanding match against Spain. The manager wanted to discover how the younger goalkeeper would respond to a major occasion, and the evidence was encouraging. His one-on-one stop from Ferran Torres in the 16th minute drew widespread praise. Less noticeable was the touch he made on Dani Olmo’s low 35th-minute attempt, partly because the referee did not award a corner.
Trafford takes pride in his northern background and his upbringing in a Cumbrian farming family. His manner is practical, straightforward and somewhat traditional. Asked whether his standing has risen after such a strong beginning at Leeds, he dismisses the idea. “It’s all an imaginary thing, status and that,” he says. “It’s how you carry yourself and how you perform.”
Has his successful start given him additional confidence while representing England? “No. Your ability doesn’t change whether you’re playing or not playing. It’s just how you think of it in your head.”
The competition between Trafford and Pickford is very real, particularly at a time when England have relatively few goalkeepers playing regularly. Dean Henderson’s injury led Tuchel to select Jason Steele as the third option. The 36-year-old Brighton player has appeared only once for his club this season and made just 10 appearances across the previous two campaigns. The alternatives are limited: Aaron Ramsdale has fallen to fourth in the Southampton hierarchy, Nick Pope is out of Newcastle’s lineup, and Carl Rushworth has endured a difficult season at Coventry.
“Me and Picks are both northern lads and we get along really well,” Trafford says. “It’s just the reality in football that everyone competes for the starting XI.”
Trafford is enjoying his time at Leeds and acknowledges that consistent first-team football has strengthened his England prospects. “Make no illusions. There are not many players that don’t play that start for any national team.”
His ambition therefore remains as strong as ever. “It is every goalkeeper’s dream and every footballer’s dream to play for England and start for England,” Trafford says. “Everyone believes they can start. They are just trying to prove that every day.”
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