Sometimes, a player and a club just click. For Jordan Pickford and Everton, that connection has been building for nearly a decade—and it shows no signs of fading.

Back in 2017, a few months before earning his first England cap, Pickford made the move from Sunderland to Goodison Park for an initial £25 million. That fee came with a heavy label: the most expensive British goalkeeper in history. "There was that pressure," Pickford recalled recently on The Wayne Rooney Show. "But I've always enjoyed it. I knew I had to do something early to get the fans behind me."

That something came in his very first home Premier League match. A 1-0 victory. A crucial header from a certain returning legend—Wayne Rooney himself—and a sharp save from Pickford. "I set myself off on a good stall," he said.

Rooney, who had just returned to Everton after a trophy-laden 13-year stint at Manchester United, saw something special from the start. "At the time I thought, 'This could be Everton and England's number one goalkeeper for a long time,'" Rooney said.

Fast forward nine years, and that prediction has proven spot on. Pickford is not only England's first-choice keeper but also the face of Everton's resilience. In October, he signed a new contract keeping him at the club through 2029.

But loyalty like this doesn't come easy—especially when the trophies haven't followed. Since his arrival, Everton's highest Premier League finish has been eighth. They're now staring at an eighth consecutive season without European football. So why stay?

Rooney didn't hold back. "A lot of people say, 'Why haven't you moved on?' With your ability, you could go play Champions League. But you've stuck with Everton. Why?"

Pickford's answer reveals the heart of the matter. "We've just got that bond. You know what it's like here—the people. The gaffer [David Moyes] calls it the 'People's Club.' The staff are brilliant. It's where we live, where we go to the games. We just love it. My family loves it."

That bond has been recognized by the fans, too. Pickford has been voted Everton's Player of the Year in three of the past four seasons. And while the club may not be competing for Champions League glory right now, for Pickford, loyalty is its own kind of victory.

"We know Everton should be in the top tier," he added. "And I want to be part of getting us there."