‘When the going gets tough, we are resilient, we dig in as a team’ - says England's landmark man Jordan Pickford

The Everton stopper played his 18th match at the global tournament, going past Peter Shilton in the list, as he helped his country to a 2-1 extra-time win over Norway in the quarter-final.

It was not easy against a side who caused problems throughout and went ahead with a Andreas Schjelderup cross-shot which Pickford should have saved.

The keeper said: “First and foremost it is more about the team like I always talk about.

“To get to another semi-final, we are at that stage where we need to keep going.

“We have had a great game tonight, against a tough opponent, a test, and we have come through it. It is a great honour to be in another semi-final.”

On the landmark World Cup appearance, Pickford – who spent a season on loan at Bradford City 12 years ago - said: “The record is a great honour for myself and my family, but we are here for a team game.

“I will reflect on that in years to come. At this moment in time, everyone who knows me, knows it is about getting the job done and focusing on the next game.”

For the third knockout match in a row, England had to dig deep to get through, needing extra time to get past the Scandinavians.

Thomas Tuchel’s side are not winning pretty, but their ability to grind out a result is serving them well.

“You have got to want to improve, to get to another semi-final is great,” added Pickford. “We always want to keep improving.

“We will reflect on the game and analyse it before we move on to the next game.

“That is the standards the manager sets and that is the standards we set as a team.

“Sometimes you have to go in the trenches and you have to be resilient and you have got to roll your sleeves up as a team and we have got that togetherness, that team spirit.

“And we drive that ourselves, we will never say never, the manager wants us to improve going forward.

“We want to do that ourselves, but when the going gets tough, we are resilient, and dig in as a team and make blocks, make headers, make saves, everyone is putting the effort in to get the result.

“Everyone can see that at home.”

Erling Haaland, meanwhile, says he is now supporting England after they knocked Norway out of the World Cup.

The Manchester City striker drew a blank for the first time in the tournament as Tuchel’s side won their quarter-final 2-1 after extra time in stifling Miami heat.

Haaland was famously born in Leeds while his dad Alf played for the Yorkshire club and with a number of City team-mates in the England squad, he is rooting for them.

“Yes, why not. I have some City friends at England,” he said.

“Of course, I want them to do well. I got an England shirt before I got a Norway shirt when I was little.”

It was Haaland’s former Borussia Dortmund team-mate Jude Bellingham that was the star of the show, scoring two goals to turn the tie around.

“Jude is a good friend. We had two great years at Dortmund,” he said. “We are good friends and he is such a nice guy.

“I am not surprised that he is scoring today and performing the way he is.

“The only thing is that he gets a bit too much criticism sometimes for not scoring enough goals. I think that is undeserved.”