Anthony Gordon has publicly echoed Thomas Tuchel’s assessment that England’s footballing culture does not naturally favour a possession‑dominated style, and he has urged the national side to lean into the attributes that have traditionally defined English football. The criticism of Tuchel’s tactical shift in the World Cup semi‑final against Argentina stemmed from England’s decision to sit deep after Gordon’s goal gave them a lead.
The defensive posture allowed Argentina to claw back the advantage in the closing stages. In response, Tuchel commented on what he described as the "DNA" of English players, suggesting that unlike their Spanish, Argentine or Brazilian counterparts, English footballers are not innately programmed to dominate a match through ball retention. He said, "I think ball possession plays a crucial role; it’s maybe not in our DNA like it is in Spanish DNA or in Argentine‑Brazilian DNA, to take the ball and control the game with the ball." These remarks came despite the fact that several of England’s most technically gifted talents—Cole Palmer, Phil Foden and Trent Alexander‑Arnold—were omitted from the World Cup squad, and midfield prospect Kobbie Mainoo never featured.
Ahead of England’s Nations League clash with reigning world champions Spain, Gordon reiterated Tuchel’s point. Speaking at a press conference he stated, "England, as a nation, we don’t have that strength, like the Spanish, where we control games like they do. It’s not in us." The interview took place at St George’s Park, a centre built to nurture young English players in a technically oriented style inspired by nations such as Spain.
Former FA chief football officer Dan Ashworth had previously outlined a concept known as the "England DNA," an ironic backdrop to Tuchel’s observations. Now plying his trade at Barcelona, Gordon has lived the Spanish footballing philosophy first‑hand. He reflected, "I’m not sure it’s something that can be taught.
Playing in Spain, I can speak with an educated view on the way they keep the ball; it’s very different from what I experienced back home. I’m not sure we can ever get that, but we can definitely improve, or perhaps we should simply play to our strengths—physical, direct football and quick counter‑attacks." Gordon admitted that England’s performances in the tournament did not match the intensity shown in training. "If we had replicated our training level, we would have dominated every opponent, which was not the case.
Even against Norway, we seemed below our own standards. We could have taken control, but for some reason we didn’t. That explains why the manager opted for a safer, more defensive approach in the latter stages of the Argentina game. To me, as a player, it makes sense." He continued, "Many will blame the manager—managers always take responsibility—but football is a collective effort.
One person cannot be held accountable for every decision made on the pitch. In that semi‑final we had the best squad and the best players, yet in the final twenty minutes we failed to produce our best football. That’s not something a coach can fix from the sidelines; it’s a shared responsibility." Tuchel had previously suggested that England might need to "embrace the chaos" of a more adventurous style. Gordon sees that lesson as a potential catalyst for future success.
"Having lived through this experience, the next time we find ourselves in a similar situation we may choose a different route. The scar from this tournament doesn’t have to be a negative; it could become the foundation for victory in upcoming competitions." When comparing Spanish and English players, Gordon noted, "We are taught the same fundamentals as the Spanish—how to keep possession—but the decision‑making of certain Spanish players just isn’t natural for us. I sometimes watch their choices on the ball and think, ‘How did they even consider that?’ It’s a matter of instinct." He emphasized the importance of embracing England’s unique qualities rather than mimicking other nations.
"We can’t keep trying to be like Spain because we are not Spain. We are English, and we have strengths they lack. It might be wiser to play to what we excel at." Reflecting on the World Cup, Gordon highlighted the pivotal 10‑man victory over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca, which he believes shaped the team’s mentality in the subsequent matches.
"The Mexico game was the best experience of my life. The red card forced us to show a different side—fighting for survival rather than playing freely.
That mindset carried over to the Norway and Argentina games and ultimately didn’t serve us in the semi‑final." He also described his personal high after scoring, "When I score, adrenaline kicks in and I enter an untouchable confidence. I felt on top of the world in that moment, especially on such a stage." Despite the disappointment, Gordon remains convinced of the squad’s quality and believes England could have challenged Spain had they reached the final. "I was confident we would have given Spain a tough fight and possibly won.
We’ll never know because we didn’t get there." Looking ahead to the Nations League showdown at Wembley, Gordon warned that motivation is essential. "If we can’t motivate ourselves to showcase our abilities at this level, we’ll never progress. Spain are an incredible side.
I asked my Barcelona teammates how they would have felt if we had faced them in a final instead of Argentina. They would have seen us as very competitive.
It would have been a close contest because I felt Spain dominated the final, but we could still prove our quality." He concluded, "It won’t be a World Cup final, but playing the world’s best team and performing well will be a strong statement for now."