AFP, SAINT PETERSBURG: Mocked by Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois for being too small for a top-class goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford stood tall when England needed a penalty shootout hero to end years of pain from the spot.

On just his seventh international appearance, Pickford became the first England stopper in 20 years to save a penalty at a major tournament.

With the sides tied at 3-3 in the shootout, the Everton ‘keeper leapt to his right and got a strong left hand to Carlos Bacca’s strike, putting the Three Lions on course to win a knockout game for the first time since 2006.

It was a sweet moment for Pickford, and for his manager Gareth Southgate, whose decision to back the 24-year-old despite his inexperience and leave 75-time capped Joe Hart out of his squad was vindicated.

“I don’t care if I’m not the biggest keeper,” said the 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 metre) tall Pickford. “I’ve got that power and agility to get around the goal. I’m very good at it.”

Pickford deserved to have won the game a lot earlier on a tense night in Moscow.

As the game entered stoppage time he flew high to his left to turn Mateus Uribe’s blistering long-range effort behind.

Pickford had barely got to his feet, though, when Yerry Mina’s towering header from the resulting corner brought Colombia level with a crushing blow that more mentally fragile England sides of the past may not have recovered from.

“It was a top-class save. I’m surprised he could reach it given his height,” Southgate said with a wry smile.

“He’s really athletic around the goal, he is excellent and he executed the plan in the penalty shootout.”