For the most part, it has been a relatively quiet 2026 World Cup for a number of Barcelona players, and this has let to some criticism. Summer signing Anthony Gordon is one of these that [has been questioned in recent weeks](https://barcanewsnetwork.com/he-will-not-be-staying-in-catalonia-for-too-long-graeme-souness-tears-into-new-e80m-barcelona-signing/), although he made his doubters eat their words during England’s thrilling 3-2 victory over co-hosts Mexico on Sunday.
Gordon was preferred to former Barcelona player Marcus Rashford on the left, and that decision made by England head coach Thomas Tuchel proved to be more than justified. The 25-year-old did not technically register a goal contribution, but as per [MD](https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fc-barcelona/20260706/1004203295/cifras-gordon-excelente-partido-mexico.html), his statistics showed that he made a big contribution for the Three Lions.
During his 90 minutes on the pitch at the Estadio Azteca, Gordon recorded the highest top speed of any player (35.7 km/h). As for his on-the-ball impact, he recorded 41 touches, registered one shot on target, recorded seven accurate passes and completed two successful dribbles. In defence, he was also impressive with four recoveries and three clearances for the 10 men.
Gordon’s biggest impact came in the 58th minute when he was played in behind the Mexico defence before being taken down by goalkeeper Raul Rangel inside the penalty area. That allowed Harry Kane to score England’s third goal, which ended up being the winning moment.
Up until the Mexico, Gordon has struggled to make the desired impact for England, and that led to many onlookers questioning Barcelona’s decision to sign him from Newcastle United for €80m. However, that performance at the Azteca justified the Catalans’ decision, and they will hope that he can now go from strength to strength for the remainder of the tournament, before he joins up with Hansi Flick’s squad later this summer for the start of his first pre-season with the La Liga champions.