British actor and radio presenter Rory Jennings feels England goalkeeper Jordan Pickford shouldn't be playing for the national team again following their 2026 FIFA World Cup exit.

    The Three Lions were beaten 2-1 by Argentina in the semi-finals as Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez struck in the closing stages to dump them out.

    As Anthony Gordon gave England the lead after 55 minutes, Fernandez equalized for the defending FIFA World Cup champions half an hour later.

    The Chelsea star unleashed a wonderful long-range effort to make it 1-1 with only five minutes of normal time remaining, before Martinez converted a header off Lionel Messi's cross to win it for Argentina in the second added minute.

    England's trophy ambitions were dashed once more as Thomas Tuchel's side now compete for just the bronze medal against France in the 2026 FIFA World Cup third-place play-offs on Saturday.

    Jennings, who's been a commentator for talkSPORT, ripped into Pickford in his post-match comments, saying the goalkeeper shouldn't be playing for England again.

    Speaking on their show Kick Off, he said:

    With 91 caps to his name, Pickford has been a mainstay in the England side under different managers since his international debut in 2017.

    He's played in five major international tournaments for the Three Lions, emerging as their hero in the last-16 penalty shootout win over Colombia at the 2018 FIFA World Cup and then against Switzerland in the Euro 2024 quarter-finals.

    With 15 saves at the current FIFA World Cup, Pickford also ranks among the top 10 goalkeepers in that department.

    The loss to Argentina must have felt familiar for England. Eight years ago, at the same stage of the FIFA World Cup, the Three Lions led 1-0 against Croatia.

    A place in the final beckoned, until the Vatreni equalized and took the game into extra-time, where England conceded another one to lose 2-1.

    On Wednesday, history repeated itself as the side went from leading 1-0 in another FIFA World Cup semi-final only to get beaten again by the same scoreline.

    Thomas Tuchel's side will now be hoping for a third-place finish with a win over France on Saturday, with their last bronze medal in the competition coming in 1990.

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    Published on 17 July 2026 by sportskeeda

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