Anthony Gordon: 'I’ve got a lot more to my game' after Barcelona move

Anthony Gordon said “I’ve got a lot more to my game” after producing eye-catching performances for England at the start of the Nations League, including England’s best display in the 2-0 win over Czechia in Prague on Tuesday and a strong showing in the 3-2 defeat by Spain at Wembley on Saturday.

Gordon, 25, joined Barcelona from Newcastle at the end of May in a £69.3m deal and described his summer as the “best experience” of his life after a World Cup campaign that included his 1-0 semi-final goal against Argentina and subsequent withdrawal when Thomas Tuchel switched to a back five. At the World Cup he made a decisive impact in the last 32 against the Democratic Republic of the Congo—coming on as a substitute with England 1-0 down to set up Harry Kane’s goals in a 2-1 win—and was excellent in the last-16 victory over Mexico at the Azteca.

At Barcelona Gordon has been required to adapt to a possession-based game and says that has highlighted parts of his play beyond pace and pressing. “I pride myself on having a high football IQ and making the right decisions,” he said. “So I think going to a team like Barcelona has really suited me and it’s maybe highlighted strengths that people didn’t know I had – or maybe overlooked because I’m fast and I press. That’s kind of the only things people ever speak about. I’ve got a lot more to my game.” He has five assists in seven appearances for Barcelona, albeit no goals.

On the pitch for England, Gordon produced key moments against Spain and Czechia; he equalised for 1-1 against Spain from a Jude Bellingham assist and, in Prague, he headed England into the lead at the start of the second half. In the Czechia match he finished with a game-high four chances and recorded the most touches in the opposition penalty area.

Observers have noted a change in how Gordon imposes himself when England struggle, showing a more prominent personality and desire to lead during difficult periods of matches. At Barcelona he now forms one-third of a front line alongside Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, a role he and his club teammates have been developing since his move.

Tuchel commented on Gordon’s trajectory, saying: “Anthony could have done even better at the World Cup. I am not so sure of the quarter-final against Norway [and how Gordon played in that]. But it was difficult, every match was difficult. And now he arrives full of confidence. He wanted to prove a point that it is his shirt on the left-hand side and that is exactly what he does, what we want and he gets the praise for it. At the same time the expectations rise, of course they do.”

Gordon’s World Cup campaign contained setbacks before its turning point: he barely saw the ball in England’s opening group game against Croatia, was poor in the next match against Ghana and was dropped for the Panama game before his impact against the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

“I think so,” Harry Kane said when asked whether Gordon had improved since the World Cup. “The move to Barcelona has helped him. Going to a big club like that gives you more self-belief, more confidence. You feel like you belong on the biggest stage and he’s taken that into his England performances. He was outstanding against Spain and he was the difference-maker against the Czechs.”

Those displays have arrived at the beginning of England’s Nations League campaign and underline the immediate influence Gordon has had for both club and country since his move to Barcelona.