Gordon urges England to focus on their strengths, not replicate Spain

Syndicated reporting provided by Stats Perform and reviewed by the SoccerNews editorial team.

Anthony Gordon agreed with Thomas Tuchel’s comments about England’s inability to control games and believes playing to their own strengths will help them win major tournaments.

England lost their World Cup semi-final to Argentina 2-1, before going on to beat France in the third-place play-off and record their best finish at the tournament since winning it in 1966.

However, England were levelled with a lot of criticism for how they played in the semi-final, having gone to a back five after taking the lead in the match, through Gordon, to try and see out a victory.

The tactical tweak saw the Three Lions sit back and defend deeper, with Enzo Fernandez equalising before Lautaro Martinez finished the turnaround in stoppage time.

Tuchel claimed it was “not in England’s DNA” to control matches like Spain – their Nations League opponents on Saturday – or Argentina and Brazil, and Gordon backed up that view.

“England, as a nation, we don’t have that strength, like the Spanish, where we control games like they do,” said Gordon in a press conference. “It’s not in us.

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

“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.”

— England (@England) September 24, 2026

Gordon secured a move to Barcelona from Newcastle United before the start of the World Cup and has made an impressive start to life in Spain.

He acknowledged that the way they approach play is very different to how England do, though it is not a bad thing.

“I’m not sure it’s something that can be [taught],” he added.

“Playing in Spain, I can speak with an educated view on the way they keep the ball is different. It’s much different than I’ve ever experienced playing in this country.

“I’m not sure we can ever get that, but we can definitely get better or maybe go the other way and really play to our strengths, which is play physical, play direct football, and on the counter-attack.”

England are looking to begin their Nations League campaign with a win when they host Spain at Wembley on Saturday.

However, they have won just two of their last 13 games against the reigning World Cup holders, losing nine times (D2); those wins came at home to Spain in November 2011 (1-0) and away to Germany in March 2016 (3-2).

England have, though, won 10 of their last 11 competitive home matches (L1), including each of the most recent five without conceding.

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