Gordon reveals surprise at Tuchel's substitution after scoring against Argentina at World Cup

Anthony Gordon has admitted he was surprised to be substituted by Thomas Tuchel just minutes after scoring for England against Argentina in the World Cup semi-final, a defeat that left the squad searching for answers when they reconvened at St George’s Park.

Gordon broke the deadlock against Argentina but was the first player Tuchel withdrew, making way for defender Ezri Konsa with more than 20 minutes still to play. England subsequently folded and missed a golden opportunity to reach the final, with Tuchel facing widespread criticism for what many felt was an overly cautious approach.

“Yeah, I was, being totally honest,” Gordon said when asked if the decision surprised him. “Only because I’d just scored. I’m the type of player that, I’ve said before, I’m really good when I play off adrenaline. When I score, I normally don’t have many bad games because I get into an untouchable mode of confidence. It makes me feel on top of the world. Especially in that moment, on that stage, I felt really good.”

Gordon revealed that Tuchel addressed the squad directly in a full debrief on the first day of the Nations League camp, with the manager offering his thanks to the players for their efforts over the summer.

“We had a meeting on the first day, which was important because we’re probably best not kidding each other,” Gordon said. “It was a massive disappointment because we felt like we were going to win. So it was important to just get that out the way and move forwards.”

Despite the pain of the exit, Gordon described the summer as the best of his life, while acknowledging the emotional whiplash of the semi-final in particular.

“I’ve never felt better than when I scored that goal in the Argentina game and I’ve also never felt worse than 20 minutes later,” he said. “Being totally honest, I think any time you lose anything of large value — whether it be a person or something like a match — you’ll never be the same person. It leaves a scar, but that scar doesn’t always have to be a negative one. You can be a better person for it.”

England now turn their attention to a four-match Nations League schedule during the current international break as Tuchel looks to rebuild momentum following the World Cup exit.