Rashford outshines £70m Gordon as Spanish media warn Barcelona signing faces World Cup exile

Marcus Rashford seized England’s left-wing berth from Anthony Gordon and produced the most eye-catching display of a 2-0 World Cup 2026 group-stage victory over Panama on Saturday, leaving Spanish media to question what the result means for Gordon’s summer move to Barcelona.

Thomas Tuchel made the switch after Gordon underwhelmed in England’s first two group games — a win against Croatia and a draw with Ghana — and the change paid dividends. Rashford, who spent last season on loan at the Camp Nou, looked lively throughout an otherwise flat first half, creating the only clear chances of the opening 45 minutes entirely from the left flank.

The deadlock was not broken until the 62nd minute, when Jude Bellingham prodded home from a corner. Rashford then turned provider five minutes later, teeing up Harry Kane to seal the round-of-32 berth. Gordon did not feature at all.

Spanish outlet AS reported that the Rashford-for-Gordon swap is now expected to be permanent for the remainder of the tournament. “Rashford replaced Gordon, a Barcelona player, and Bukayo Saka started for the first time,” the report read. “This move looks set to be permanent. New wingers after the fruitless siege against Ghana.”

A separate piece pointed to the unique burden Gordon carries as Barcelona’s most expensive signing of the summer, having joined the Catalan club for £70 million in May. “The pressure of playing in his first World Cup and being the most expensive signing of the summer is taking their toll,” it noted. “He’s neither standing out nor failing to impress. And that’s the big problem.”

Sport went further, arguing that Rashford eclipsed not only Gordon but also Kane, Saka, and Bellingham against Panama. “His were the only chances for the Three Lions, completely overshadowing players like Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka, and Jude Bellingham,” the outlet wrote. “All of England’s danger came down the left flank, with an incisive and very active Rashford in attack.”

For Gordon, the picture heading into the knockout rounds is uncomfortable. Having arrived at Barcelona as the headline transfer of the window, he now faces the prospect of watching England’s World Cup campaign from the substitutes’ bench — with Rashford, his predecessor at the Camp Nou, the man who displaced him.