How Jordan Pickford became England's record-breaking No 1: The reason his Everton team-mates adore him, the numbers that prove his quality, why he's pen pals with a Liverpool player and the sliding doors moment when he so nearly moved to Man United

First came a punch and then came a pop to puncture the quiet of a sunny afternoon.

It was Wednesday, June 7, 2017. On a training pitch at St George’s Park, England’s Under 21s were gearing up for that summer’s European Championship; away from the main throng, the goalkeepers were working in tandem and it had all been routine until a shot flashed past Jordan Pickford.

Up he sprung from the floor, his face contorted in frustration. The first thing he saw was a blow-up mannequin, being used as a temporary defender.