Anthony Gordon insists his identity as a player has not changed, but the perception of him certainly has, and much of that shift can be traced to his move to Barcelona.
The 25-year-old winger endured a mixed World Cup campaign with England, struggling in the group stage before emerging as a key figure in the knockout rounds. He set up Harry Kane for both goals in a 2-1 last-32 win over the Democratic Republic of Congo after coming off the bench, then shone in the last-16 victory over Mexico in the Azteca Stadium. His tournament peaked when he scored to put England ahead against Argentina in the semi-final, only for Thomas Tuchel to substitute him as the team switched to a back five — a decision that preceded a 2-1 defeat and lasting regret for England.
Gordon has called the tournament the "best experience" of his career, and he appears to have carried that momentum into the current Nations League campaign following his £69.3m transfer from Newcastle to Barcelona at the end of May. He was named England's standout performer in a 2-0 win over Czechia in Prague, having also impressed in a 3-2 loss to Spain at Wembley.
While Gordon built his reputation at Newcastle on relentless pressing and explosive pace under Eddie Howe, he believes his time in Barcelona's possession-heavy system has revealed a more rounded skill set that had previously gone unnoticed.
"I pride myself on having a high football IQ and making the right decisions," Gordon 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."
In both recent England fixtures, Gordon stood out for his composure under pressure during difficult stretches of play. Against Spain, he combined with Jude Bellingham to level the score at 1-1, converting a Bellingham assist after England had struggled through the first 35 minutes. Against Czechia, he was involved throughout a sluggish first half before heading his side into the lead early in the second period. He finished that match with four created chances — the most of any player on the pitch — and recorded the highest number of touches inside the opposition box.
Gordon has racked up five assists in seven appearances for Barcelona so far, though he is yet to open his scoring account for the club. His emergence alongside Lamine Yamal and Raphinha in Barcelona's forward line appears to have boosted his confidence on the international stage as well.
Tuchel praised Gordon's evolution, while acknowledging room for further growth. "Anthony could have done even better at the World Cup," the England manager said. "I am not so sure of the quarter-final against Norway. 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."
Kane, who has also thrived since leaving the Premier League for Bayern Munich, sees parallels in Gordon's trajectory. "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," Kane said.
Gordon's own account of his World Cup breakthrough reflects a similar mentality. Having struggled in England's opening matches and been dropped for the game against Panama, he resolved to simply play his natural game when given the chance against DR Congo. "I just thought: 'I'm not doing that. I'm going to do the things that got me here,'" he said.
Based on reporting from The Guardian.