He grew up in the countryside and began his career as a midfielder before falling in love with boxing gloves. The England Under-21 number one ended without conceding a goal and with a penalty saved by Spain in the final, the absolute protagonists. Now he is ready for the big leap also in his Manchester City
A pair of gloves closed in the trunk of the car, little James is stubborn, he doesn’t even want to see them. “You will become a goalkeeper,” his father repeated to him. But the answer was always the same: “No, I’m a midfielder.” The truth is that he didn’t know how to stay between the posts, he wanted to run and so he was in the middle of the field. A training session changed his career: “We needed a goalkeeper, I tried, I took those many and I liked it”. Now James Trafford is twenty years old and he is the hero of England Under 21. he Clean sheet at the European Championship, zero goals conceded in six games. And in the final, in the 99th minute against Spain, Abel Ruiz saved his penalty. Safe hands even on Oroz’s rebound. A goal from the opponents would have sent the game into extra time. The class of 2002 has always been owned by Manchester City, two years ago on loan in the English third division he said: “Soon I will defend the goal of the national team”. He did it great.