It feels like ages ago when Anthony Gordon’s place in the England starting eleven was anything but guaranteed. The turning point arrived in the final pre‑World Cup friendly against Costa Rica, a match in which Gordon not only found the net but also set up a teammate.
That performance finally convinced the coaching staff to hand him a berth for the opening group game against Croatia. Even then, many journalists at Sky Sports remained skeptical, waiting for more proof of his worth. Fast forward barely three months, and Gordon has become a fixture on Thomas Tuchel’s line‑up, ranking among the most trusted attacking options at the national level.
The early stages of the tournament were sluggish for England, but something clicked for Gordon as the competition progressed. After going unused in the first two fixtures – a goalless draw with Croatia followed by a narrow loss to Ghana – he was dropped for the must‑win showdown with Panama.
When he returned for the decisive match against the Democratic Republic of Congo, he immediately repaid the faith by providing the assists for both of Harry Kane’s goals in a dramatic comeback victory. His influence didn’t stop there. In the subsequent Nations League encounter with Norway, Gordon delivered another assist, and in the semi‑final against Argentina he scored the decisive goal that propelled England into the final.
Those contributions have not only lifted the nation but have also raised Gordon’s own profile considerably. At present, the Barcelona‑based winger is riding a four‑game international scoring streak – the longest run by any England player other than Harry Kane in almost six years. Such a run would be impressive for any footballer, let alone someone whose attacking output had been openly questioned up until the eve of the summer tournament. During the World Cup, Gordon struggled to replicate his best club moments while wearing the Three Lions, yet he now boasts ten goal involvements in his last ten appearances for England, forming part of what many pundits deem the most in‑form front four in international football today.
His reputation had taken a hit during a turbulent final season at Newcastle United, where, under the relentless scrutiny of the Premier League, he managed just five non‑penalty goal contributions. That modest tally coloured the pre‑tournament assessment of his abilities, even though he had previously delivered four times that number in his inaugural campaign on Tyneside. Frustrated by the criticism, Gordon told ITV before the camp that his "quality and football IQ" had been undervalued by English fans prior to his move to Barcelona. The raw talent has always been evident.
His early years at Newcastle, supplemented by brief spells at Everton, showcased flashes of brilliance. However, consistency – not talent – had long been the Achilles’ heel that coaches pointed to. Barcelona’s sporting director Deco and head coach Hansi Flick, trusting Tuchel’s judgment, decided to invest in Gordon despite his Premier League struggles, signing him for a fee more than double what his England teammate would have cost. Their decision was rooted in the belief that the Catalan club could restore him to his peak form.
Few outside Spain noticed that only Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé had surpassed Gordon’s ten goals in twelve Champions League matches last season, a tally that even included strikes against his future employers during the group phase. Yet within the walls of the Nou Camp, his achievements did not go unnoticed.
Ironically, in a recent interview Gordon complained that before his Barcelona transfer he was valued only for his work‑rate and pace, a statement that arrived just days after Deco told RAC1 that it was precisely the winger’s "intensity" that attracted the club. The 25‑year‑old has undeniably elevated his game over the past few months, both domestically and internationally.
Prior to the Costa Rica friendly, he had recorded just two goals and one assist across his first 18 England caps. Since then, he has repeatedly stepped up when the stakes were highest – delivering in a World Cup semi‑final and scoring match‑changing strikes in Nations League fixtures against Spain and the Czech Republic.
Gordon’s self‑belief has always been evident. He revealed at his Barcelona unveiling that he had dreamed of playing for the club since the age of three, and he delivered his introductory speech fluently in Spanish, underscoring his long‑standing preparation and confidence. The World Cup run has only bolstered that confidence further, and his signing marks the first permanent transfer of an English player to Barcelona since Gary Lineker did so four decades ago.
He has hit the ground running at the Catalan giants, with fans quickly embracing him on social media after he registered four assists in his first six LaLiga outings – a figure that doubles his assist total from his final Premier League season and ties for the most in the league this campaign. Deco has publicly urged Gordon to sharpen his finishing, but his recent England goal‑scoring spree suggests that improvement is already underway. Whether he can sustain his bright start in Catalonia and maintain his England form, or if the lingering issue of long‑term consistency will resurface, remains to be seen.
One thing is clear: if he manages to keep his performance levels high, both club and country will possess a genuinely serious attacking asset.