‘A lot more to my game’: Gordon rises to a new level after Barcelona rebirth

The way that Anthony Gordon sees it, he is still the same player, the same guy – on a journey, striving for self-improvement, a thinker, immensely driven. The way that an increasing number of people see him is changing, certainly in the UK. And, for that, it is impossible to overlook the Barcelona factor.

The winger had a positive World Cup for England, despite a slow start, culminating in the dream moment when he gave his team their 1-0 lead in the semi‑final against Argentina. It was the prelude to the nightmare when he was withdrawn as Thomas Tuchel switched to a back five. England were reeled in, beaten 2-1, left with eternal regrets.

Related: Gordon and Kane fire England to Nations League victory against 10-man Czechia

When the 25-year-old reflects on his summer, there is a reason why he describes it as the “best experience” of his life. He made the difference against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the last 32, coming on as a substitute with England 1-0 down to set up Harry Kane’s goals for the 2-1 win. Gordon was excellent in the last-16 epic against Mexico at the Azteca.

The England support said goodbye to Gordon for a while when he went off against Argentina. The reunion for the beginning of the Nations League campaign has been an eye-opener, the feeling hard to ignore that Gordon, who signed for Barcelona at the end of May in a £69.3m deal from Newcastle, has taken his game to a new level. He was England’s best player in the 2-0 win against Czechia in Prague on Tuesday. He was impressive in the 3-2 defeat by Spain at Wembley on Saturday.

Gordon has always traded on his pace and hard running, his pressing ability. But there was a revealing exchange between him and the media at St George’s Park last Wednesday when he talked of how closely he was associated with Eddie Howe’s high-tempo, back‑and-forth style at Newcastle.

Gordon’s point was that it was all people saw in him. Whereas now at Barcelona, who control the ball more, he has had to show greater game awareness; sophistication, subtlety. It has been about finding the right spaces, grooving the connections. These things have always been in him. They have become more visible.

“I pride myself on having a high football IQ and making the right decisions,” he 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.”

There has been something else. What most stood out in the Spain and Czechia matches was how Gordon imposed himself as England struggled – for the first 35 minutes against the former; for pretty much all of the first half against the latter. It was the personality he showed; the desire to be a leader. It spoke to the confidence he has mined during a fine start to life at Barcelona; he has five assists in seven appearances, albeit no goals. Also, perhaps, to a newfound status. He can now say that he forms one‑third of a front line with Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.

Against Spain it was Gordon and Jude Bellingham who threw the counterpunches during that difficult opening; Gordon equalised for 1-1 from a Bellingham assist. Against Czechia, it was Gordon who probed and created, who got shots away. At the start of the second half he headed England into the lead. Gordon finished with a game-high four chances. He had the most touches in the opposition penalty area.

Is it a coincidence that England’s best three players at present play outside the Premier League – Kane at Bayern Munich, Bellingham at Real Madrid and Gordon? For an English player to move away from England, especially to a European heavyweight, is to step outside comfort zones. New language, new culture, new style of football, new pressures. It can be too much. On the other hand it can push players to fresh heights, which has plainly been the case for Kane and Bellingham. The early signs for Gordon have been very good.

“Anthony could have done even better at the World Cup,” Tuchel said. “I am not so sure of the quarter-final against Norway [and how Gordon played in that]. 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.”

It is instructive to go back to the turning point of the World Cup for Gordon against the DRC. He barely saw the ball in England’s opening group game against Croatia, he was poor in the next one against Ghana and was dropped against Panama. When he got on against the DRC, he simply wanted to express himself; no safe stuff. “I just thought: ‘I’m not doing that. I’m going to do the things that got me here,’” he said.

It is a worthy maxim, if one that is easier said than done. Gordon is doing it. “I think so,” Kane said, when asked whether Gordon had improved since the World Cup. “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.”