England’s goalkeeper options ranked including Jordan Pickford and Dean Henderson position

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England’s goalkeeping ranks include plenty of strong options to choose from ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

The Three Lions have had mixed fortunes in the past with who they will pick between the sticks, but recent years have brought about some more stability.

Whether it’s Jordan Pickford’s experience or the quality provided by Dean Henderson and Nick Pope, there are plenty of different players available to choose from.

It’s up to Thomas Tuchel to pick which of those England stars will be featuring during his tenure, and who will miss out.

So, with that said, here’s a look at each of England’s goalkeeper options ranked.

8 – Alex Palmer

Alex Palmer is an outside shout for an England cap at some point, following his move to Ipswich back in January 2025.

The goalkeeper had some impressive performances in the Premier League, cutting out errors made by those before him in the role.

He is now back in the second tier, but the 29-year-old will have aims of making a return to the top flight at some point and perhaps even featuring for England.

7 – Jack Butland

Jack Butland was viewed as a future England goalkeeper when he made his way through the ranks, but he hasn’t got quite as many caps as fans would’ve expected.

The shot-stopper made his senior team debut at just 19, but only eight other appearances for the Three Lions have followed.

The 32-year-old hasn’t made an England matchday squad since 2019, but he will be hopeful that his performances for Rangers, mixed with his experience, could see him back in the side.

6 – Sam Johnstone

There was a time when Sam Johnstone was the England number two, often pushing hard for a place in the team.

That has led to just four appearances so far for the goalkeeper, though he has been a familiar face around St. George’s Park.

Johnstone’s last appearance came in 2023, in a friendly against Australia, while the most recent matchday squad appearance came in March 2024.

The 32-year-old is currently battling it out with Jose Sa for the number one shirt at Wolves, but is facing some difficulty so far.

5 – Aaron Ramsdale

Aaron Ramsdale is another of the England goalkeeping department who has struggled to break through in recent years.

The 27-year-old has five caps to his name so far, but has seemingly fallen down the pecking order.

His last place in a matchday squad came in the European Championships final defeat to Spain.

Now Ramsdale is fighting for a place in the Newcastle team, with another fellow England international slightly ahead of him.

4 – James Trafford

The future of England’s goalkeeping ranks could lie with James Trafford.

At just 23 years old, the Manchester City star has plenty of potential to improve further and has already shown his quality in the Premier League.

The only thing stopping him may well be those ahead of him for both club and country, with some of the world’s best shot-stoppers potentially blocking the path for more minutes.

3 – Nick Pope

As the current Newcastle number one, Nick Pope is among those eyeing a place in the plane to the 2026 World Cup.

He is one of the more experienced members of the group for England, with ten caps to his name so far.

There are questions over whether he is favoured by Thomas Tuchel, though, as he hasn’t featured in a matchday squad for the Three Lions since he was named as manager.

That is despite some continually impressive performances for Newcastle.

2 – Dean Henderson

Dean Henderson has cemented himself as the current England number two, at the very least.

The shot-stopper has been an ever-present force for Crystal Palace since making the switch from Manchester United in 2023.

It’s no surprise that the Eagles are enjoying one of the greatest moments in their history with the 28-year-old between the sticks.

Henderson has just three England caps to his name so far, but he has been a consistent name in Tuchel’s squads.

1 – Jordan Pickford

Jordan Pickford is England’s number one goalkeeper.

The Everton star has been simply unshakeable for the Three Lions ever since he took the position for the 2018 World Cup.

At just 31, Pickford already holds plenty of records, placing him among some of the very best goalkeepers England have ever seen.

He looks set to retain that place under Tuchel, with a dramatic loss of form or unfortunate injury likely to be the only things stopping that from happening.