Anthony Gordon backs Thomas Tuchel on England's lack of possession focus

Anthony Gordon, the Barcelona winger, has publicly supported Thomas Tuchel’s view that possession football is not part of England’s DNA, adding to the debate over the side’s style at the World Cup. Gordon said England cannot play like Spain and that the team’s struggle to keep the ball under pressure was a key factor in the semi‑final loss to Argentina. He noted that England were 1‑0 up when he was substituted, a decision he said he did not blame on Tuchel.

The winger explained that the defeat was due to wider cultural issues rather than tactical choices, and that England’s perennial difficulty in maintaining possession became apparent when a place in the final was within reach in July. Argentina’s late comeback with two goals sealed the match. Tuchel’s role in Atlanta has faced intense scrutiny; his tactical choices were criticised and he received backlash after stating that “ball possession” was not in his team’s DNA.

Gordon’s comments reinforce the ongoing discussion about England’s possession problem and the influence of Tuchel’s coaching approach.