Anthony Gordon was left furious after his EA Sports FC 27 defensive rating was revealed while on England duty, leaving Jude Bellingham speechless. The Barcelona winger, 25, has scored in four successive England matches and most recently netted in the 7-0 thrashing of Croatia.
Gordon's rating sparks fury
Gordon was challenged to predict his colleagues' ratings alongside Bellingham and Morgan Rogers. He topped a six-man list for pace with 91, but was astonished by his 50 defensive rating, which was just one point higher than Harry Kane's and 17 below Rogers'.
Reacting to being placed beneath Rogers' score of 67, Gordon said on the England YouTube channel: "How can I be lower than that? Oh my god. The disrespect on that! Are we comparing my defending to Ez?"
Bellingham and Rogers respond
After Gordon's rating was revealed, Rogers hit back: "Based on that, Ez would dribble past you." Bellingham, who had praised Gordon's pressing, was left with his jaw dropped in shock.
Gordon also came bottom among six England players for physicality with a rating of 71, prompting Bellingham to say: "His defending should be higher than his physical."
Howe's influence
Gordon scored 17 times for Newcastle United last season before his £69million move to Barcelona, where he has registered five assists in seven appearances. Former Newcastle manager Eddie Howe previously praised the intensity of Gordon's pressing.
Gordon told The Overlap in 2024: "Every session, if you're daydreaming for one second, he's somehow managed to see it and he's screaming your name. Eddie's culture is much harder than what it was like when I first went to the England camp, but it's got me to where I am now, which is a good thing."
