Goalkeeper James Trafford had managed five complete games and an entire European Championship final including nine minutes of stoppage time without conceding a goal when he was put to the test one last time. England led 1-0 against Spain in the U21 European Championship final when the Spaniards were awarded a penalty in the 90+9 minutes. Their captain Abel Ruiz started. He could have saved his team to extra time and, with his fourth European Championship goal, would have become the tournament’s sole top scorer. But Trafford not only saved the penalty, but also Aimar’s follow-up shot. For the first time in the history of the U21 European Championship, a team and thus a goalkeeper remained without a goal. For Trafford, 20, the masterly performance added up to six times 90 minutes, which is well over nine hours of football including injury time.
‘Young Trafford’, as he is known in reference to Manchester United’s ‘Old Trafford’ stadium, is the hero of an England Under-21 side who won this most important title in the oldest junior division for the first time in 39 years. The squad featured well-known Premier League players: Chelsea’s Noni Madueke and Levi Colwill, Arsenal’s Emile Smith Rowe, Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White, Newcastle United’s Anthony Gordon and Liverpool’s Curtis Jones. Gordon was named “Player of the Tournament” and Jones was named “Player of the Finals” for scoring.
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For the first time in 39 years, England wins a U21 European Championship.
(Photo: Sebastian Frej/Imago)
But the celebrated hero was goalkeeper Trafford, who is under contract with Manchester City and was last loaned to third division side Bolton Wanderers. Now his sale to Premier League promoted Burnley is imminent. The rumored £19m (€22m) fee would make him the third most expensive English goalkeeper in history. Only Jordan Pickford cost more money six years ago when he moved from AFC Sunderland to Everton FC (28.5 million euros) and Aaron Ramsdale two years ago when he moved from Sheffield United to Arsenal FC (28 million euros).
In England, hopes continue to grow with this title
The English won all six European Championship games, with the third they brought the disappointing German U21s out of the tournament. Noah Atubolu, 21, from Freiburg was never able to prove himself in the German goal, but he is still the favorite to succeed national goalkeepers Manuel Neuer and Marc-André ter Stegen. Trafford is also considered the goalkeeper of the future in England.
In the English media they like to talk about the fact that their parents run a farm and that James Trafford has to help out every summer. Only this time he didn’t have time. From Farm to Finale, from Farm to Hero. “We’re a great team,” Trafford reveled. In England, they have high hopes for the future senior national team with this generation.
