Anthony Gordon urges England to embrace their own style instead of copying Spain

Anthony Gordon has urged England to stop trying to reproduce Spain’s possession-heavy football, arguing that the Three Lions should instead build around their own strengths.

The England winger was speaking at St George’s Park ahead of Saturday’s meeting with world champions Spain, which will be the two sides’ first encounter since the 2026 World Cup.

England made it to the World Cup semi-finals, losing 2-1 to Argentina before defeating France 6-4 in the bronze medal match. The result gave England their best World Cup finish since 1966.

Questions have since been raised about England’s tactics following their semi-final defeat, particularly after Gordon was taken off and manager Thomas Tuchel moved the team to a back five.

Gordon, who completed a £69.3m move from Newcastle United to Barcelona during the summer, believes his experience in Spain has shown him why England should develop their own approach rather than imitate the Spanish game.

“We can’t keep looking at other countries and trying to be like them, because we’re not them – we’re English and we have our own strengths which they don’t have, so maybe we start playing the way we’re good at,” he said.

Gordon said his time playing in La Liga had given him an opportunity to see first-hand how differently Spanish and English football operate.

“I’m speaking from a point of view where I feel like we are trying to replicate Spain,” Gordon said.

“Because I’m in Spain, I know we have just as good players, but they have different qualities, so why are you trying to make those players the same as the Spanish players? Because the Spanish players lack the things that we have and vice versa.”

The 25-year-old also questioned whether Spain’s ability to control possession and matches could simply be transferred to England.

“It’s not in the English DNA,” Gordon said.

“I’m not sure it’s something that can be taught because now I think, playing in Spain, I can speak with an educated view on the way they keep the ball is different.

“I even look at some of the decisions they take on the ball sometimes and think I’m not sure how you’ve seen that.

“It’s the way they’re built. I don’t know whether it is something that maybe we can’t ever put a name to, but they’re definitely built different.”

Reflecting on the defeat to Argentina, Gordon described the semi-final experience as leaving a “scar”, but said that setback could eventually become a source of motivation.

“[The] scar doesn’t have to be a negative one because it might lead us to victory in the next tournaments,” he said.

Gordon scored England’s goal against Argentina, started five matches during the World Cup and supplied four assists.

He was replaced 17 minutes after giving England the lead, although he said substitutions were a normal part of playing as a winger.

“It makes me feel on top of the world, especially in that moment on that stage. I felt really good,” Gordon said.

“But as a winger, to be honest, I come off most games. It’s normal [for wingers].

“Obviously that substitution was different but in that moment probably yeah, but in general as a winger I expect it a lot of the time.”

Gordon also rejected the idea of placing the blame for the Argentina defeat solely on Tuchel, insisting that England’s players needed to accept their share of responsibility.

“We shouldn’t try and blame one man who’s obviously trying his best and trying to win the cup for us all,” Gordon said.

“As players, we could have done more to take the initiative to control the [Argentina] game. I think if we do that the manager doesn’t make the decision [to use a back five].

“For me, we had the best team, we had the best players on the pitch in that semi-final, and in the last 20 minutes we didn’t play the best football.

“That’s something the manager can’t really affect from the sideline, so I think as a group everyone together should take responsibility.”

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