Two footballers from Sunderland have been named in Gareth Southgate’s 23 man squad for this summer’s World Cup in Russia.
Jordan Pickford, 24, and Jordan Henderson, 27, will be playing for the national team later this year.
Former Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford has played all 38 of Everton’s Premier League games this season and will be competing with Burnley’s Nick Pope and Stoke’s Jack Butland for the number one jersey.
Jordan Henderson will be returning to the England World Cup squad having previously appeared at the previous World Cup in Brazil in 2014.
James Copley from the Sunderland fan podcast Roker Report says: “Jordan Pickford should be England number one this summer. Butland was relegated from the Premier League with Stoke and while Nick Pope is a good keeper, he isn’t experienced at the senior level of the England squad. The way that he plays is exactly the style that Southgate likes.”
Top strikers Harry Kane and Jamie Vardy have been included in the squad. The pair have 50 Premier League goals between them this season.
Danny Welbeck has also been included in the squad despite only scoring five goals in 28 in appearances for Arsenal this season – 16 of which were from the bench.
The 23 man squad includes:
Goalkeepers:
Jordan Pickford, Nick Pope and Jack Butland.
Defenders:
Trent Alexander-Arnold, Gary Cahill, Phil Jones, Harry Maguire, Danny Rose, John Stones, Kieran Trippier, Kyle Walker and Ashley Young.
Midfielders:
Dele Alli, Fabian Delph, Eric Dier, Jordan Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Raheem Sterling.
Strikers:
Harry Kane, Marcus Rashford, Jamie Vardy and Danny Welbeck.
Gareth Southgate will now be preparing for England’s first group game against Tunisia on the 18th of June.