England winger Anthony Gordon has spoken about overcoming a difficult start to World Cup 2026 to become a key figure in the knockout rounds, ahead of Saturday's quarter-final against Norway in Miami. Having recently completed a £60.7m move from Newcastle to Barcelona, the 25-year-old reflected on his relentless drive for self-improvement, insisting his strong mentality towards setbacks is what consistently allows him to bounce back.

Gordon began the tournament poorly, barely featuring against Croatia, struggling in the goalless draw with Ghana and being dropped for the Panama game in favour of Marcus Rashford. His turning point came against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, when he came off the bench with England trailing and provided two assists for Harry Kane in a 2-1 win. He then played a central role in the dramatic 3-2 victory over Mexico at the Azteca, winning the crucial penalty for Kane. Gordon linked his hunger to a tough upbringing in poor areas of Liverpool, and spoke of wanting to learn languages, read widely and discover "who he can become".