Football NewsThe GuardianUnverified source· 24 Sept 2026
Gordon backs Tuchel over England possession claim
Anthony Gordon has sided with Thomas Tuchel's claim that controlling games through possession is not in England's DNA.
A. Gordon
player
Player
Anthony Gordon
Club
Barcelona
Coach
Thomas Tuchel
Event
World Cup semi-final
What happened. Anthony Gordon backed Thomas Tuchel's assertion that controlling games through possession is not part of English football's DNA. He also revealed surprise at being substituted when England led 1-0 in their World Cup semi-final against Argentina, but refused to blame the defeat on Tuchel's decisions.
- England lost the semi-final after Argentina scored two late goals.
- Gordon said players 'could have done more' in the semi-final.
- Tuchel faced criticism for his tactical choices and DNA comment.
“could have done more”
— Anthony Gordon
The debate over England's possession struggles continues after their semi-final collapse against Argentina.
Read the full story at The Guardian →
T. Tuchel
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