Anthony Gordon has described Euro 2024 as “a waste of a summer for me” but says he is relishing the World Cup 2026 campaign and competing with “misunderstood” Marcus Rashford for the left wing position.
Gordon's World Cup journey
The new Barcelona forward delivered quiet performances in England’s first two World Cup matches, while Rashford made an impact off the bench against both Croatia and Ghana. Gordon then turned into an impact substitute himself, assisting both of Harry Kane’s goals in the 2-1 victory over DR Congo, before impressing with a tireless 90-minute display in the 3-2 win away to co-hosts Mexico.
“When I'm called upon against DR Congo, I thought I reacted very well and got the two assists. I missed a lot of football towards the end of the season,” Gordon said. “I didn't think it would feel how it felt in the first two games. I felt rusty, to be honest, but I used sort of as a platform for the DR Congo game because I felt I played safe. I wasn't playing to my individual strength and when I got the chance against DR Congo, I just thought to myself ‘I'm not doing that, I'm going to do the things that got me here’ and obviously it paid off.”
Euro 2024 disappointment
Gordon’s first major tournament was Euro 2024, where he played just one minute of normal time and five minutes of added time as a substitute in a group-stage goalless draw with Slovenia. Across England’s seven games en route to the final, he saw minimal action.
“It was good looking back now,” Gordon reflected. “I didn't enjoy at the time, but I can use that for experience. When we got the [World Cup squad] numbers, I texted my agent and, I'm not going to lie, I wanted No11. But when I got No18, I said it's actually a good thing because I get to put right in that number, because in the Euros I was No18 and I felt like it was a waste of a summer for me. So, I viewed this as an opportunity to make something special out of that number.”
Rashford relationship
Gordon joined Barcelona from Newcastle this summer, while Rashford — his competitor for England’s left wing — learned that Barcelona would not trigger the €30 million (£26 million) option to make his loan from Manchester United permanent. Despite the rivalry, Gordon described Rashford as a “lovely person” and said their relationship is “very good”.
“He is very misunderstood, I think, from the outside,” Gordon stated. “I just think he has always got a bit of stick. From my point of view, he has always had a bit of a negative view, just a bit of stick. From when I met him and from all the camps I have been on with him, he is a really nice person, as most footballers are, by the way. He is very humble, just quite kid-like. He just loves playing football. You see him, he's always got a ball doing kick-ups and stuff. Lovely guy [who has] been well brought up, a nice family from what I know. But we're in competition for a place. That’s football. At elite level, you’re always going to have that and that usually serves me well, so I'm completely fine with that and I'm sure he is.”
Gordon also revealed that Rashford congratulated him on his move to Barcelona. “He congratulated me as soon as he saw me,” Gordon said. “To be honest, he has been really helpful. I am trying to look for a house and he has helped me with things about the club, which is helpful, as I have not been there yet. He has been really helpful.”
