- 22 minutes ago
Anthony Gordon on England closing the gap on the world's best countries
24/09/2026 embargoed from 23/09/2026
St George's Park, Burton, UK
24/09/2026 embargoed from 23/09/2026
St George's Park, Burton, UK
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00:01Anthony, great to see you, especially because we don't see you in this country very much anymore, so it's good
00:05to have you back, mate.
00:06I need to kind of get it out of the way first, the reflections on the World Cup, because it
00:10felt, watching you, as though it was a breakthrough tournament for you, that it was an extraordinary performance and experience
00:15that you had.
00:16From the team's perspective, lots of highs and lots of lows.
00:21And I wanted to ask you feelings about that semi-final defeat, because you score a wonder goal in a
00:25World Cup semi-final.
00:26I can't imagine what a high that gave you.
00:29And then we all saw what happened after that.
00:31Thomas Tuchel says it scarred him.
00:33Yeah.
00:34Will you ever get over it, do you think?
00:36No, I don't think so, being totally honest.
00:39I think any time you lose anything of value in life, whether it be a person or something at a
00:45match or anything you really want to have or win or anything of large value, I think when you lose,
00:52you'll never be the same person.
00:53It leaves a scar.
00:55But that scar doesn't always have to be a negative one.
00:57You can be a better person for it.
00:59You can learn different things about the world, about yourself.
01:03So that's kind of the way I'm looking at it.
01:05And hopefully me and the team will get better for it, rather than the other way around.
01:09Good stuff.
01:10And the Ballon d'Or's coming up.
01:12Apparently Harry Kane's favourite, Laminya Mal, is second favourite.
01:16So we thought, who would be perfectly placed to give us a view on those two?
01:20I'm not the right guy.
01:22What do you think?
01:26Again, it's difficult for me to comment because I'm not at that kind of level yet, but I'm just like
01:32kind of you guys, really fans in the situation of both players.
01:36For me, it has to be one of the two in terms of what they've achieved, what Lamin's achieved at
01:41such a young age.
01:44The kind of player he is, is ridiculous.
01:47He's on a whole other level right now.
01:50For a 19-year-old to be doing what he's doing is crazy.
01:53Is he the best winner in the world at the moment, do you think?
01:55I think so.
01:56I think when you're talking as a pure player, ability, for me, he's number one for sure.
02:02But if we're talking off last season,
02:05H has got as big of an argument as anybody because, I mean, his season was historic.
02:11The amount of goals he scored, the things he'd done for us within the World Cup.
02:15They both have large arguments, so I wish them both the best of luck.
02:19That's all, man.
02:21Hi, Anthony.
02:22To ask you again about the World Cup and that defeat to Argentina,
02:26obviously there's been lots of talk about the mentality and how the team played.
02:30Your sub is the one people talk about, maybe the start of that potential retreat.
02:35How do you see it as a team and how the mentality was?
02:38Do you think it was too defensive or was it just the scenario?
02:43I think it's really difficult because also that same mentality was the reason we progressed
02:48through the previous two rounds.
02:51So then you almost carry on doing things that have worked.
02:54And it's difficult in life to ever change something that's working because why would you?
02:58If you know something works, why would you go to anything else?
03:02So the Mexico game was by far the best experience I've ever had in my life.
03:07But I think that probably set us up in a way because the red card,
03:14it made us show a different side of us.
03:17We wasn't so much the team that wanted to play anymore.
03:18We needed to really fight to get the victory, which we did.
03:22But then that probably became our MO a bit too much then for the next two games
03:26and ultimately didn't work for us in the semi-final.
03:30But there's no telling that if we would have stayed with the four at the back
03:34that we still wouldn't have lost that game.
03:36So I think in hindsight, everything's easier.
03:40And I suppose, is that the main learning as a group?
03:43Obviously, a breakthrough tournament for you, scoring big goals, starting lots of games.
03:47But if you get in that position against a top nation,
03:50would it be now as players to start playing, let's control the game?
03:54That's been the main word, hasn't it, we've heard from the manager control?
03:57Yeah.
03:58I think now that we've had that experience,
04:00probably the next time we're in that position, we'll go the other way.
04:03So that's why I said that score doesn't have to be a negative one
04:06because it might lead us to victory in the next tournament.
04:09I think culturally, it's not just that tournament or that game
04:13where we couldn't control a game.
04:15England as a nation, we don't have that strength like the Spanish
04:18where we control games like they do.
04:20It's not in us.
04:22I'm not sure it's something that can be teached
04:24because now I think playing in Spain,
04:26I can speak with an educated view on the way they keep the ball is different.
04:31It's much different than I've ever experienced playing in this country.
04:35So I'm not sure we can ever get that,
04:37but we can definitely get better or maybe go the other way
04:40and really play to our strengths,
04:42which is play physical, play direct football and on the counter-attack.
04:46So you can go either way and there's no perfect way to win a football match.
04:50So it'll be interesting to see what we do.
04:53Carrie.
04:54First of all, congratulations on the brilliant start of the season at Barcelona.
04:58Four assists, fantastic.
04:59What have you learned then about possession,
05:03about how you mine those golden moments,
05:06as Tuchel said about, that he feels isn't in the English DNA?
05:09What have you learned at your short time at the Nou Camp?
05:13Yeah, like I've just said, it's not in the English DNA
05:16and it's probably something I've only realised to that extent
05:19from playing in Spain now
05:20because I think we as English players
05:23are educated the same way as the Spanish players.
05:25We know how to keep possession,
05:27but it's the decision-making of certain players in Spain
05:30which is just not a natural thing.
05:33I even look at some of the decisions they take on the ball sometimes
05:36and think, I'm not sure how you've seen that.
05:40It's the way they're built.
05:41I don't know what it is.
05:42It's something that maybe we can't ever put a name to,
05:46but they're definitely built different.
05:48But I think it's important for us, like I've just said there,
05:50we can't keep looking at other countries and trying to be like them
05:53because we're not them, we're English
05:55and we have our own strengths, which they don't have.
05:58So maybe we start playing to what we're good at.
06:01Talking about Harry Kane, Laminia Mal,
06:04but the best player at the World Cup or the winner of it was Rodri.
06:09What did Real Madrid miss out on?
06:12I think everyone in this country already knows
06:15you don't need me to tell you
06:16because we've had the pleasure of watching them for a long time
06:18and me playing against them.
06:20I always knew how good he was and now playing with them.
06:24I'm so glad to have him on my team
06:25because he's a genius in football in terms of his composure,
06:32his ability to never lose the ball.
06:35And I always used to have felt like playing against him,
06:37he was one step ahead.
06:38And it's good to have someone like that on your team
06:40because, like I said, it's more the composure side.
06:43It makes me feel a lot more calmer having him on my team
06:46than playing against him.
06:48John?
06:49But when you compare the England squad with Spain, France,
06:55what they've achieved, what they've done,
06:58there doesn't seem to be a great deal of difference.
07:02And England have got a coach who's won the Champions League.
07:06So it shouldn't be that far a leap, should it?
07:10Well, it's not.
07:11It's not because we got to the semi-final
07:13against the reigning world champions
07:16in which we should have won, we can say, in my opinion.
07:20We were the far better team for 60 minutes.
07:22It's, OK, things took a turn and we didn't win,
07:25but that is football.
07:27Football's not perfect.
07:28Football doesn't mean you can be the better team for 60 minutes,
07:31you can score, and you're always going to win.
07:33There's times where Spain will have been winning 1-0
07:36and lost the game.
07:37It's not an English thing.
07:40Just in the moment, we lost the game.
07:42I don't think there is a big leap.
07:43I felt like, I felt so confident.
07:47I felt like if we would have got to the final,
07:49I would have felt so confident to play in Spain
07:52that we would come out victorious.
07:54But we just didn't get there, so we'll never know.
07:57Do you think it is not a coincidence
08:00that two of England's, arguably,
08:02two best performers at that World Cup
08:04played for Bayern Munich and Real Madrid?
08:08Well, no.
08:09I think all the best players play for the best teams in the world,
08:12and there's never a coincidence with that.
08:15If it was that easy, then everyone else would do it.
08:18So, no, not surprising.
08:20There are two players who are at the very top of the game.
08:23I obviously watch every one of Jude's games now,
08:26hoping they lose.
08:28But he has had a tremendous start to the season.
08:31Like I said, I watch all of his games,
08:33so I watch him quite closely,
08:34and as an individual, he started really, really well.
08:37OK, John, if you pass back to Joel,
08:39and then we'll go for you next.
08:40Hi, Anthony. Nice to see you.
08:42You OK?
08:42Yes.
08:43Just actually coming on from that,
08:46you get the opportunity to play the World Cup final
08:50in different circumstances at Wembley.
08:53You get to play the world champion Spain on Saturday.
08:56What do you want as players to show
08:59that actually you deserve to have been there at that final?
09:02How are you hoping to overcome them?
09:04On Saturday.
09:07It's difficult because we're not going to be able
09:09to ever show that if we would have got to the final,
09:11that we would have won.
09:13It can only be our opinion, unfortunately.
09:14We'll never truly get to see it,
09:16because even this game, it's not the World Cup final.
09:19But we can frame it in a different way,
09:21and it's a massive game against the best team in the world.
09:23So if we can't be motivated to show what we can do
09:26at this level, then we're never going to be.
09:30Spain are an incredible team.
09:31I spoke with the guys at Barca and said,
09:34how would they have felt if we got to the final
09:36other than Argentina?
09:38They've seen us as really competitive.
09:40It would have been a much more competitive game,
09:43I felt, because I felt Spain dominated the final.
09:46So maybe we can show that.
09:48We can show them how good we are.
09:50And like I said, it won't replicate the final.
09:52But playing against the best team in the world
09:54and winning and playing well,
09:56that'll do for now.
09:58And I hate to go back to that semi-final,
10:00but has there been a debrief since
10:03with Thomas Tuchel and the players
10:05since you've been back here at St George's Park?
10:07Yeah, we had a meeting on the first day,
10:10which was important,
10:11because like Rob was saying there about the scar,
10:14and we're probably best not kidding each other
10:16that it was a massive moment.
10:18It was a massive disappointment,
10:19because we felt like we were going to win,
10:22or we felt in a really good place.
10:24So it was important to just get that out the way
10:26and move forward.
10:27Quite a positive meeting.
10:28The coach was just saying thank you for a lot of things,
10:31because as far as the summer goes,
10:34it was the best of my life.
10:36I had some of the best experiences
10:39that I've ever had in that summer,
10:41so I couldn't be any more happy and proud.
10:44It was just a contrast of in that moment.
10:46I've never felt better in the Argentina game
10:48than when I scored that goal,
10:50and I've also never felt worse than 20 minutes later.
10:52So it was really important.
10:54We probably got that out of the way.
10:56Joe.
10:57How's it going, Anthony?
10:58Really good to have you back in the country.
11:00You've obviously had a flying start in the Liga.
11:03Sixth in the Liga appearances,
11:05five starts, four assists,
11:06your joint top flying at the moment.
11:08But obviously you're going to have demands
11:10from Hansi Flick.
11:11How similar are those demands
11:14from him to Thomas Tuchel?
11:16Do you have a few?
11:17They're both German.
11:18They both love pressing.
11:20They're both very honest.
11:23Both really good people,
11:24but let's say very honest,
11:26which I prefer.
11:27I prefer brutal honesty from a coach.
11:28I prefer to know where I am,
11:30where I stand.
11:32I've got great relationships with both.
11:34Both are very, very demanding.
11:37And you could say they have to be
11:38because there are two of...
11:40I mean, Thomas is arguably
11:42one of the biggest nations in the world
11:43and Hansi Flick,
11:44the biggest club in the world.
11:45So they have to demand a lot
11:47from the players.
11:48And I think when you sign
11:49for a club like Barcelona,
11:50you understand that.
11:51You understand that.
11:52The kind of pressure is there every game.
11:55To draw a game is kind of like losing a game.
11:57So dropping points,
11:59bad performances,
12:00it's kind of not accepted.
12:02And that's always the pressure
12:03I've wanted to have anyway.
12:04I've wanted to play at the top
12:05for that exact reason.
12:08So I'm thriving with it.
12:09Secondly,
12:10you obviously surprised the world
12:12with your Spanish
12:13as soon as you landed.
12:14How's that going?
12:15And how did you actually manage
12:17to learn so quickly?
12:18Was it like Dulinguo
12:19or what's going on over there?
12:21Well, I spoke to Dom recently
12:23because I used to learn Spanish
12:24when I was at Everton,
12:25just like self-taught.
12:26It was always just an ambition.
12:27I never had a teacher or anything.
12:29Obviously, over the past couple of months,
12:31I've had teachers
12:31and I'm getting better.
12:33I can understand most Spanish.
12:35I can speak really well
12:37but speaking Spanish
12:39and speaking Spanish
12:40are two different things.
12:42So when they're speaking at me
12:43really quick,
12:44sometimes I get a bit lost.
12:45And I've been a bit hesitant
12:46to do the press conferences
12:47in Spanish just yet
12:49because I want to say
12:50exactly what I would say in English.
12:52You know what I mean?
12:53I want to really mean what I say.
12:56I don't want to get caught up
12:56in saying really basic interviews.
12:59It's not the type of person I am.
13:01I don't want to sound too robotic.
13:03So I want to wait
13:04until I'm really perfect in Spanish
13:06before I start.
13:07You're doing well.
13:09Do you have your best of luck to Pete here
13:10and then we'll go James next.
13:12Anthony, hi.
13:13Over here.
13:14I'm sorry to go back to the semi-final.
13:16It's just because obviously
13:17we all still talk about it a lot.
13:19Were you surprised to come off?
13:22Yeah, I was.
13:24To be totally honest.
13:25Only because I'd just scored.
13:26So I'm the type of player
13:28that I've said before
13:29I'm really good when I play off adrenaline
13:31and when I score
13:32and normally don't have many bad games
13:34because I get into like
13:35an untouchable mode of confidence.
13:37It makes me feel on top of the world
13:39especially in that moment
13:41on that stage.
13:42I felt really good.
13:45But as a winger, to be honest
13:46I come off most games.
13:48It's normal.
13:49It's usually the position
13:50that is targeted first
13:51for substitutions
13:53because the players on the bench
13:55in your position
13:55is usually quick
13:57and usually really good as well.
13:59So managers feel that
14:01when you're getting a bit tired
14:02you can add them fresh legs
14:03and they can really go.
14:05Obviously that substitution
14:06was different
14:06but in that moment probably yeah
14:09but in general as a winger
14:10I can't expect it a lot of the time.
14:13I mean the managers
14:14face some difficult questions
14:15about how he handled
14:16that second half
14:17for that final 30 minutes.
14:19I mean do you feel
14:20as a group of players
14:21that you had the clarity
14:23of messaging
14:23in that hydration break
14:25and for that final period
14:27of that game?
14:28Well it was difficult
14:29I would say
14:30because the messaging
14:32we had all along
14:33we kind of built ourselves
14:35with the mentality
14:36and stuff we were showing
14:36in training
14:37but I also felt
14:38we weren't performing
14:39in the matches
14:40like we did in training
14:40because if we did
14:42we would have dominated
14:43everyone
14:43which wasn't the case.
14:45Every match was quite close
14:46even in Norway game
14:47I didn't feel like
14:48they were really
14:50at our level.
14:51We could have dominated
14:52that game
14:52but for some reason
14:53we just didn't do it.
14:55So it makes a lot of sense
14:56to me why the manager
14:57would then
14:58go more safe
14:59and more defensive
15:01and really tune in
15:02to what got us through
15:03the previous two rounds
15:04in that moment.
15:05It might not to other people
15:06but it does to me
15:07being a part of the group.
15:08I felt like as players
15:09we could have done more
15:11to take the initiative
15:12to control the game.
15:14I think if we do that
15:15the manager doesn't
15:15make the decision.
15:17So I think
15:18everyone likes to blame
15:19the manager
15:19because that's football.
15:20Managers always take
15:21responsibility
15:22but in my opinion
15:24one person
15:24shouldn't be responsible
15:25for a million
15:27different decisions
15:28that are happening
15:29at one time.
15:31For me
15:31we had the best team
15:32we had the best players
15:33on the pitch
15:34in that semi-final
15:36and in the last
15:3620 minutes
15:37we didn't play
15:38the best football.
15:39That's something
15:39the manager can't really
15:40affect from the sideline.
15:42So I think
15:43as a group
15:44everyone together
15:45should take responsibility.
15:46we shouldn't try
15:47and blame
15:48one man
15:49who's obviously
15:50trying his best
15:50to win the game
15:51and win the cup
15:53for us all.
15:55Anthony,
15:55you mentioned
15:55the different styles
15:57between Spanish football
15:58and English football.
15:59So can you tell us
16:00how your game
16:01is maybe evolving
16:02out in Barcelona
16:03with the players
16:03you're playing
16:04within that front line?
16:05It's definitely evolving
16:06because I think
16:09I've played
16:09in a completely
16:10different style
16:10under Eddie Howe
16:12and Newcastle.
16:12We played
16:13a really intense
16:15back and forth
16:16it was always
16:16quite exciting games
16:18whereas at Barca
16:19the intensity
16:20is a lot more slow
16:20because we control
16:21the ball so much
16:23and we've been
16:24quite dominant so far
16:25so it's been
16:26a completely
16:27different style
16:28for me to get used to
16:28but as part
16:31of the England youth teams
16:32I've always played
16:32this style anyway
16:33so I've been used to it.
16:35And I pride myself
16:36on having high
16:37football IQ
16:37and making the right
16:38decisions
16:39probably more than I should.
16:41I think sometimes
16:42I probably should be
16:43more selfish as a player
16:43but it's not really
16:44in my nature
16:45so I think going to a team
16:46like Barcelona
16:47has really suited me
16:48and it's maybe
16:49highlighting strengths
16:49that people didn't know
16:51that I had
16:52or maybe overlooked
16:53because I'm fast
16:55and because I press
16:56that's kind of the only thing
16:57people ever speak about
16:58but I've actually got
17:00a lot more to my game
17:01than those two things.
17:03On Friday
17:04Thomas Tuchel said
17:04maybe it's time
17:05for England
17:05to embrace the chaos
17:06and you've spoken there
17:07about the strengths
17:08of the English game
17:09compared to how
17:10Spain control matches.
17:12Yeah.
17:13Are we at the point here
17:14where you mentioned
17:14as a youth team player
17:15you've been taught
17:16through the England
17:17age groups
17:17to play
17:18maybe almost trying
17:19replicate how Spain play.
17:21Yeah.
17:21Are we at the point here
17:22where there might be
17:23a shift
17:23and actually we think
17:25actually the way to win
17:26is to look more
17:27at our more traditional values?
17:29Well that was my
17:30previous point
17:31what I mentioned earlier
17:32is
17:34maybe we're at that point
17:35I'm probably not the best
17:36person to say that
17:36I don't know
17:37I'm speaking from
17:38a point of view
17:39like I said
17:40where I feel like
17:41we are trying to replicate
17:42Spain
17:43because I'm in Spain now
17:44I know
17:45we've got
17:46just as good players
17:47but they have
17:47different qualities
17:49so why try and make
17:50them same players
17:51the same as
17:52the Spanish players
17:52because the Spanish players
17:53lack the things
17:54that we have
17:55and vice versa
17:56so I think maybe
17:58we just
17:59I don't want to speak
18:00so I'm not the manager
18:00so I'm not going to
18:01control the tactics
18:03or how we play
18:04but I think we need
18:05to stop looking elsewhere
18:06as a country
18:06and maybe be proud
18:08of who we are
18:09what we are
18:09the things we have
18:11and stop comparing
18:12with other countries
18:13because we're English
18:14we're not Spanish
18:15or French
18:16or other countries
18:17who have succeeded
18:19Anthony
18:19hi
18:20Thomas told us
18:21the other day
18:22that 99.9%
18:23of England fans
18:25and people
18:26that he's bumped into
18:27since the World Cup
18:28didn't really want to
18:29didn't actually mention
18:31what happened
18:31in the second half
18:32in Atlanta
18:34and actually
18:35didn't really want to
18:36talk about tactical things
18:37and substitutions
18:39obviously you're abroad
18:40at the moment
18:40but in your interaction
18:42with people over here
18:43since the World Cup
18:44yeah
18:44has that been
18:45a similar experience
18:47do you know what
18:48I probably agree
18:49with the manager
18:49I think more people
18:51have spoke to me
18:52about the France game
18:53rather than the
18:54Argentina game
18:55funnily enough
18:56obviously a lot of people
18:57have also spoke to me
18:58about the Argentina game
18:58but the France game
19:00was quite a tremendous
19:02watch
19:02from a fans point of view
19:04obviously as an English person
19:07wasn't really that important
19:08because of what we just
19:09went through
19:09and what we were all
19:10feeling at the time
19:12but I tend to agree
19:13with them
19:13a lot of people
19:15focused on the France game
19:16more than the Argentina game
19:17whether that was because
19:18they didn't want to go
19:19back over it
19:20or not
19:22yeah they spoke to me
19:23more about that
19:23yeah
19:24the point you made earlier
19:26about the Spanish
19:27being so good at possession
19:28yeah
19:29and we do it differently
19:30over here
19:31and I take your point
19:32that we've got the players
19:33to play that way
19:34but over here
19:35in the Premier League
19:36do you think English fans
19:37would accept that?
19:39I'm not sure
19:40to be honest
19:42I always feel like
19:43English fans
19:44if I'm playing against
19:45Premier League sides
19:45who try and play
19:47ultra football
19:48tiki-taka football
19:49I always feel like
19:50the fans don't appreciate
19:51it as much
19:52I feel like English fans
19:53want to
19:53they want to see
19:54an English game
19:55and it's normal
19:56because in Spain
19:57they appreciate
19:58the Spanish style
19:59and that's kind of my point
20:00we should appreciate
20:01what we are
20:02rather than
20:02always looking elsewhere
20:04for the right thing
20:05English players
20:06come with a certain
20:07set of qualities
20:09Spanish players
20:10come with their
20:11set of qualities
20:11so
20:12we need to stop
20:13looking elsewhere
20:13and appreciate
20:15what we have
20:16I actually quite like
20:17your point that
20:19the fans in England
20:21for me
20:21they love a kind
20:22of basketball game
20:23they love an athletic game
20:24a direct game
20:26when a team's losing
20:27they don't want to see
20:28the team playing out
20:28from the back
20:29they want to see
20:30a big striker
20:30winning headers
20:31and a bit of chaos
20:32it's like in English
20:33it's traditional
20:34English style of play
20:35for me
20:35in my opinion
20:38so like I said
20:39maybe it's time
20:40to tune into that
20:42I still here
20:42Hi Anthony
20:43we're entering
20:44the new cycle
20:45obviously Nations League
20:46Euros
20:47World Cup
20:48what do you hope
20:49to achieve
20:49going forward
20:50in not only
20:51Barcelona
20:52but for England
20:53to win
20:55to win
20:55that's always
20:56the number one goal
20:56is to win
20:57whatever
20:58is put in front of us
20:59whether it's
20:59Nations League
21:00Euros
21:00World Cup
21:01whatever
21:02to win this next game
21:03against Spain
21:03because like I said
21:04it's an important one
21:05for me
21:05because in my head
21:07I felt really confident
21:08if we would have got
21:08to the final
21:09so
21:11not that it will prove
21:12to me that I was right
21:12but it will
21:14make me feel a little bit
21:15better I guess
21:16if we win that game
21:18and yeah
21:18the same with Barca
21:19I want to win
21:19I'm in football
21:20for a very short time
21:22I'm 25 now
21:23I'm not so
21:23I'm not so young anymore
21:25in football terms
21:27so I want to
21:27rack up as many trophies
21:29as I possibly can
21:30and have the best experiences
21:31and of course
21:32there's some young players
21:33just joined the squad
21:34over the next couple
21:34of three years
21:35there'll be more young players
21:36what advice would you give
21:37to anybody at the moment
21:39on the fringes
21:40of England
21:43I would say
21:44when you come in here
21:44be yourself
21:45because the coaches
21:46have picked you
21:47based on what
21:47they've seen you do
21:48they haven't picked you
21:50to come here
21:50and then sort of
21:51fall in line
21:52with other players
21:53here and their strengths
21:54and try and play
21:55how the team
21:55wants you to play
21:56they pick you
21:57because they see
21:58your strengths
22:00as valuable
22:00for this team
22:01so don't change
22:02just be yourself
22:03don't try and be
22:04anybody else
22:06and that way
22:07you'll feel a lot
22:07more comfortable
22:08I think
22:09we'll move on
22:10to a very short
22:10section of Barca
22:11until 10.000