Anthony Gordon is rapidly turning into one of England’s most important attacking players under Thomas Tuchel, with his recent form making his claim for a regular starting place increasingly difficult to ignore.
The Barcelona forward has produced eight goal contributions in his last six appearances for England after initially changing the course of the team’s match against DR Congo as a substitute.
His latest contribution came during England’s emphatic victory over Croatia, where Gordon scored and continued a remarkable run that has seen him produce a goal or assist roughly once every 53 minutes for his country.
Barcelona Move Has Changed Gordon’s Confidence
Gordon’s improvement has coincided with his move to Barcelona, where his performances have quickly won over supporters and given him a platform to demonstrate qualities that he believes were previously overlooked in England.
The £68 million signing has made an immediate impression in Catalonia, while his decision to use Spanish during his unveiling was another indication of how determined he was to embrace the new challenge.
Gordon has previously admitted that he felt English supporters largely viewed him as a player whose biggest strengths were his pace and pressing.
At Barcelona, however, he believes his technical ability and football intelligence are receiving greater recognition.
“I’ve become a different player in a lot of people’s eyes,” Gordon said, explaining that playing in a different style at Barcelona had helped highlight qualities he felt had previously gone unnoticed.
Tuchel Sees Another Level in Gordon
England manager Thomas Tuchel has also noticed the difference.
Gordon has scored three times and provided an assist during the current international camp, while his overall performances have suggested a player growing increasingly comfortable with his status within the national team.
“Anthony plays with a lot more edge,” Tuchel said. “He’s for sure found another level, another gear, and is very decisive.”
That decisiveness is becoming particularly valuable for England as the competition for attacking positions intensifies.
With Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka firmly established among the first-choice attacking options, Gordon now appears to have done enough to make himself the leading candidate for the remaining position.
Croatia Performance Underlined His Growing Influence
Gordon’s display against Croatia provided another example of his confidence.
His third goal of the match for England came through a powerful flying header, an unusual way for the winger to find the net given that he had never previously scored a header during his 248 club appearances.
His performance also caused major problems for Croatia’s defenders.
Bayern Munich full-back Josip Stanisic struggled to contain Gordon, who repeatedly used his pace, movement and physicality to take on his marker.
At one point, Gordon stopped an attack, confronted Stanisic directly and then accelerated beyond him, highlighting the swagger that has become increasingly visible in his game.
The winger was eventually substituted after 70 minutes, although he had already missed three significant opportunities. Had England been more ruthless, their final score could have been even more extraordinary.
Lewis Hall Is Becoming Gordon’s Perfect Partner
One of the most encouraging developments for England has been Gordon’s growing understanding with Lewis Hall.
The pair previously played together at Newcastle United and their familiarity was evident against Croatia.
Hall created a major opportunity for Gordon shortly after Kane opened the scoring, delivering a pass with the accuracy and weight required to put his former team-mate into a dangerous position.
The 23-year-old full-back has also impressed defensively during the international camp, giving Tuchel an increasingly attractive option on the left.
Hall Shows He Can Offer More Than Attacking Quality
Hall’s influence has not been limited to his work going forward.
During one Croatia counter-attack, England were briefly exposed as their defensive shape became disjointed. Hall remained composed and slowed down Franjo Ivanovic, giving his team-mates enough time to recover and eliminate the threat.
Later, with England already five goals ahead, Hall’s aggressive pressing inside the Croatian penalty area helped create the opportunity for Saka to score.
Those moments have strengthened Hall’s case for a regular role in Tuchel’s team.
England’s Left Side Finally Looks Settled
The left side of the pitch has been an area of uncertainty for England during recent major tournaments.
Luke Shaw had largely established himself as the preferred option during the knockout stages of the 2021, 2022 and 2024 tournaments, but injuries and tactical decisions repeatedly disrupted England’s balance.
Phil Foden was moved into wider areas during the 2022 tournament, while Shaw later operated as a wing-back as Gareth Southgate experimented with a back three.
Tuchel now appears closer to finding a more settled combination.
Gordon has emerged as the clear front-runner for the attacking position, while Hall and Nico O’Reilly are competing for the supporting full-back role.
Tuchel Praises the Gordon-Hall Connection
Tuchel has acknowledged that the existing relationship between Gordon and Hall gives England an advantage.
“I don’t want to write Nico O’Reilly off because he played for us in the first match,” Tuchel said. “Lewis had two good matches now.”
The England manager highlighted Hall’s ability to operate as an attacking full-back, his comfort in possession and his movement in the final third.
“He played very well with Anthony. You can see that they’ve played many seasons together in the coordination of their movements. He helped Anthony a lot.”
Their latest outing was the 58th time Gordon and Hall had started together for club and country, a level of familiarity that was evident in their movement and decision-making.
Gordon Wants to Become Even More Dangerous
Despite his outstanding recent form, Gordon insists he has not reached his ceiling.
The winger has spoken about regularly setting private targets for himself and believes his move to Barcelona was part of a long-term ambition he had imagined from a young age.
He also wants to become more ruthless around the penalty area.
Gordon’s early Barcelona statistics suggest he may already be moving in that direction, with five assists in his first four matches for the Catalan club.
His willingness to improve has also been evident in his conversations with Kane, whom he consulted before deciding to move to Barcelona.
Kane’s own success at Bayern Munich, where he has established himself among the world’s elite and remains in contention for the Ballon d’Or, encouraged Gordon to embrace the opportunity.
Gordon Has Seized His Moment
Gordon believes his international breakthrough can be traced back to the dramatic moment when he came off the bench against DR Congo and helped England rescue a difficult situation.
Since then, his trajectory has changed significantly.
With almost 30 international caps now to his name, Gordon appears ready to take greater responsibility for England’s left flank.
His confidence, improved decision-making and growing partnership with Hall have given Tuchel another established combination to work with.
For a player who once felt his quality was underestimated, Gordon now finds himself in a very different position: England’s left-wing role is increasingly looking like his to lose.
