Anthony Gordon’s high-profile move to Barcelona has immediately placed him under an intense spotlight, with Spanish media delivering a scathing assessment of his performance in England’s opening World Cup fixture against Croatia. Despite England securing a 4-2 victory, the focus quickly shifted to Gordon’s subdued display, especially when contrasted with the impactful cameo from Marcus Rashford, the player Gordon is expected to replace at Camp Nou.

The Three Lions, under coach Thomas Tuchel, emerged victorious in a thrilling encounter. Harry Kane netted a first-half brace, but Croatia responded through Martin Baturina and Petar Musa, leveling the score at 2-2 by halftime. Second-half goals from Jude Bellingham and Rashford eventually sealed the win for England.

Gordon’s ‘invisible’ debut under scrutiny

Gordon, who recently completed a £69 million transfer from Newcastle to Barcelona, started the match and played 72 minutes. However, his contribution was deemed minimal by observers, particularly those in Spain. According to SofaScore, Gordon registered a rating of just 6.3, managing only two shots, with one on target, and touching the ball 17 times.

Spanish outlets were quick to pounce. The Mirror reported that the Spanish media ‘destroyed’ Gordon for his performance. The overall sentiment was that the new Barcelona signing was “virtually invisible” and completely upstaged by Rashford. Mundo Deportivo stated Gordon made “little impact,” while El Mundo suggested Rashford “showed more promise than Gordon in his limited minutes on the pitch.”

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El Periodico was particularly critical, noting, “Thomas Tuchel wisely substituted Anthony Gordon for Marcus Rashford, reversing the transfer plan Barcelona had devised for the upcoming season. Gordon was virtually invisible, barely touching the ball, and Rashford sealed the victory when Croatia threatened to draw.”

Rashford’s decisive cameo

The stark contrast was drawn by Rashford’s 18-minute appearance from the bench. The forward, who spent last season on loan with La Blaugrana, made an immediate impact, scoring a crucial goal that helped England secure the win. Rashford’s statistics from his brief time on the pitch painted a much more positive picture:

• 18 minutes played
• 1 goal
• 1 shot
• 1 shot on target
• 100% shooting accuracy
• 7.4 match rating (Sofascore player ratings)

This direct comparison has amplified the pressure on Gordon, who is touted as Barcelona’s long-term replacement for Rashford. Las Razon highlighted the immediate intrigue: “It was a goal with a certain intrigue, as Gordon has taken his place in the England starting line-up and his spot at Barcelona. But the former Newcastle player was barely involved throughout the match, while the player who spent time on loan at the Camp Nou made his presence felt in a short amount of time. It’s just one game, though; it would be premature to draw conclusions from it.”

While acknowledging it’s early days, the immediate reaction from Spain underscores the high expectations and intense scrutiny Gordon will face as he prepares for his new chapter at Barcelona.

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