The situation has painted Anthony Gordon and Marcus Rashford as rivals, but they are, in fact, team-mates. Both compete for the same spot on the wing for England in the FIFA World Cup, and one essentially replaced the other at Barcelona. Still, there are no hard feelings – far from it.
“We’re in competition for a place. That’s football. At elite level, you’re always going to have that and that usually serves me well, so I’m completely fine with that, and I’m sure he is,” Gordon said in a new interview.
England are preparing for a momentous clash against Norway, the dark horses of the tournament, in the quarter-finals. Manager Thomas Tuchel has swapped between Gordon and Rashford, but has recently committed to Gordon as a starter.
Rashford is known for his charitable work and activism on social issues. Despite that, he has been criticized in the media – some would say unreasonably so – as being flashy or arrogant and for his hefty wage demands.
“He is very misunderstood, I think, from the outside,” Gordon said.
“I just think he has always got a bit of stick. From my point of view, he has always had a bit of a negative view, just a bit of stick. From when I met him and from all the camps I have been on with him, he is a really nice person, as most footballers are, by the way.
“He is very humble, just quite kid-like. He just loves playing football. You see him, he’s always got a ball doing kick-ups and stuff. Lovely guy [who has] been well brought up, a nice family from what I know.”
Gordon recently completed a move from Newcastle United to Barcelona, at the same time as the Catalan club decided not to make Rashford’s loan move permanent. There are players who may have felt cold feelings towards their teammate in such a situation, but not Rashford.
Gordon says Rashford congratulated him right after the move to Barcelona got announced.
“To be honest, he has been really helpful. I am trying to look for a house and he has helped me with things about the club, which is helpful, as I have not been there yet. He has been really helpful,” Gordon said.
