Jordan Pickford may have unwillingly provided Argentina with a helping hand for the World Cup final.
As La Albiceleste rejoiced on the pitch in Atlanta after beating England in their World Cup semi-final, some of their players stumbled upon Pickford’s water bottle.
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Taped on to Pickford’s bottle was his cheat sheet for a possible penalty shootout.
Pickford’s penalty plan revealed
It featured every Argentina player’s name coupled with an instruction for the England gloveman to follow in the hopes of saving a penalty.
Some of the instructions were more detailed and required Pickford to fake a movement or keep out a trailing leg.
But for others, they were more simple.
One particularly intriguing instruction was in place for attacking midfielder Thiago Almada, which simply read: “Feel on the day.”
The picture of Pickford’s cheat sheet was shared on Instagram by Argentina fitness coach Luis Martin.
Some of Argentina’s players had a peek at Pickford’s water bottle, including Lionel Messi.
Studying the instructions closely alongside Nicolas Gonzalez and Marcos Senesi, the leader in the Golden Boot race wanted to see which way Pickford would have gone for his penalty.
However, Messi sported a slightly puzzled look given the instructions were written in English.
For Messi, who has already made unwanted history from the spot at this World Cup, Pickford wrote: “Fake left, dive right.”
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From the two penalties Messi had already missed at this World Cup, both were directed towards the goalkeeper’s left, meaning Pickford had banked on the superstar changing things up.
Senesi, who recently completed a move to Tottenham, had to show Messi what Pickford’s instructions meant as he gestured faking to his left before moving to the right.
Fernandez’s lucky penalty escape?
The bottle then made its way to Enzo Fernandez, who had cancelled out Anthony Gordon’s opener with a sensational strike from outside the box.
Pickford’s instruction for Fernandez was simply: “Stand central.”
It appeared as if Pickford had guessed Fernandez’s exact routine, as he gave what looked like a relieved reaction before pointing up to the sky.
Luckily for Fernandez, Messi and the rest of Argentina’s playing members, Pickford’s notes could give them valuable insight ahead of the World Cup final on Sunday, where they will play Spain.
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Although there’s no guarantee Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon will be given the exact same notes, the fact England had meticulously prepared for Argentina’s penalty takers means players may re-think their routine.
For Fernandez, that might mean practising penalties that go either side of the goalkeeper rather than down the middle, which was what Pickford expected and Simon may too.
A penalty shootout in a World Cup final would be remarkably familiar territory for Argentina though given that was how they beat France to win the tournament in 2022.
It was just the third time in history the World Cup final had been settled via penalty shootout along with 2006 and 1994, which were won by Italy and Brazil respectively.
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