James Trafford
#23 · Goalkeeper · age 23
Promoted to No. 3 over established alternatives
Club
Manchester City
England · Premier League
Caps
2
Intl goals
0
57
WC26 rating
high confidence -21.13043478260869 vs FC26
- Recent form
- 38
- Career peak
- 43
- League level
- 100
- Competition pedigree
- 60
- International pedigree
- 24
- Longevity
- 44
Independent rating — league strength (Opta-anchored) × competition tier × position-normalized output. Not affiliated with EA or FIFA.
Career by season
Source: transfermarkt · fetched 2026-05-29
Trafford’s selection over Sam Johnstone is the clearest sign of Tuchel’s long-term thinking — the next manager will inherit him as a potential No. 1 candidate alongside Pickford for the 2028 Euros.
Strengths
- distribution with both feet
- shot-stopping
- calm under pressure for his age
Recent form
Backup to Ederson at Manchester City in 2025-26; cup minutes only.
Saved the decisive penalty in England's Under-21 Euro 2023 final win over Spain — and didn't concede a single goal across the entire tournament.