England's goal was orphaned by a grant keeper since David Seaman was forced to resign from the national team after swallowing a goal-kick from Ronaldinho at the World Cup in Korea and Japan 2002. Since then, Carson and Robinson, and occasionally David James, they tried to safeguard the English goal without much success, even leading the three lions to stay out of Euro 2008.
Capello gave him the alternative to Robert Green in the first meeting of England against the USA (1-1), but after a gross mistake by the goalkeeper West Ham, which cost the English team a draw, the Italian coach changed his mind and decided to play what was left of the World Cup with veteran James, from Portsmouth, who had already attended the two previous World Cups as a substitute goalkeeper and who in the United Kingdom had been nicknamed Calamity for its tendency to flaws.
The lack of level goalkeepers in England had kept James on the national team lists for years despite his reputation for being 'greedy' and his seniority. After playing against Algeria (0-0) in the second match of the group stage, he became the oldest player to debut in a World Cup so far, at 39 years and 321 days. In Russia 2018 he would be overtaken by Egyptian goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, who played his first World Cup match at the age of 45.