From paranoia and trolling to the Euro 2024 final – Inside Anthony Gordon’s remarkable rise

Anthony Gordon was accused by some sections of the media of “not living up to his wages” just 11 months before earning his first England call-up.

In April 2023, Gordon’s hopes of a Newcastle United first-team start looked doubtful, let alone a place at Euro 2024. An angry outburst on the bench at Brentford saw the Liverpool-born star appear to have pushed Eddie Howe with Gordon making headlines for all the wrong reasons.

After walking through the mixed zone, attempts to get an interview with Gordon were met with a firm and emphatic “No”. However, things seemed to go from bad to worse for Gordon as he missed a one-on-one opportunity before being dragged off at half-time against Southampton, a game Newcastle won, but the winger failed to impress.

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One Everton fan at X decided to put it eloquently: “Cheers to the 45m guys.” But Gordon’s rise to Euro 2024 and England prominence was still in its early stages.

This was a player who caught the eye for controversially leaving Everton to earn that big-money transfer. Questions were asked, but arguably asked too soon at Newcastle.

Was he an enigma? Or was it more a case of a 22-year-old coming to terms with life and the pressure cooker of the Premier League?

Either way, Gordon appeared to battle some demons before he began to show his worth at Newcastle. As his national stock began to rise, he told the Daily Mail he regretted pushing Howe at Brentford, saying: “We had two days off afterwards and I just remember the anxiety.

“Honestly, the days off have killed me! Someone will text me and say, ‘Are you training with the U23s?’ I’m like, ‘What? No one has told me that, but I am?!’

“I spoke to the boss as soon as I got back. I was so surprised at how he handled me. He basically said, ‘Like it or not, you’re going to be a success here.’ I didn’t expect that conversation.”

And that was undoubtedly the starting point for Gordon on his journey to the Euros with England this summer. Howe’s understanding, people management and ability to see clearly, without being influenced by the noise around him, was what his player needed then and there and proved to be the basis for Gordon’s England call-up.

Gordon ended the 2022/23 season on a high by scoring against Chelsea in a 1-1 draw at Stamford Bridge, before heading to the European Under-21 Championship with England and winning player of the tournament after beating Spain in the final.

Whether this could be an omen for Gordon in Berlin remains to be seen. He has featured for only a handful of minutes in the tournament so far, during a drab draw against Slovenia.

His omission from England was made all the more baffling by his superb form last season for Newcastle, when he well and truly came into his own, proving almost everyone wrong but, more importantly, proving both himself and Howe right. Gordon’s tally of 11 goals and 10 assists paved the way for a spring call-up against Brazil.

That night the game ended in defeat, but by this point Gordon was receiving praise from all the leading pundits, including Wayne Rooney, Alan Shearer and Gary Neville, to whom he gave a fascinating interview on Sky Sports’ Overlap and highlighted his extreme confidence and thirst for knowledge.

In that interview, Gordon said: “I felt comfortable in my first training session with England, but I didn’t mind because I was so focused. I was very determined to do well in the first session because I knew everyone would be looking at the new lads coming through.

“You have to earn respect, which is the most important thing in football, because it’s a sport based on opinion, so no one will respect you if you haven’t earned it. It’s a matter of pride, so if you can prove that to yourself, everyone’s opinion will align with yours.”

Speaking about his England call-up, Howe said: “I’m delighted for him. I know it’s been a big goal and ambition for him since he was a little boy, and he fully deserves it in my opinion.”

With Newcastle failing to qualify for Europe, an ankle injury suffered away to Manchester United in a 3–2 defeat essentially ended Gordon’s domestic season, but he did eventually earn a call-up, largely at the expense of James Maddison and Jack Grealish.

Despite his lack of action, Gordon has not escaped the headlines this summer following interest from his boyhood club Liverpool – a deal that, at one point, Newcastle appeared willing to do to avoid a 10-point penalty.

But the storm has passed at Newcastle and, while there has been talk of a possible return from Liverpool, a new boardroom structure and the arrival of sporting director Paul Mitchell could alter that on Tyneside. But Gordon’s rise to the England team and what has been a strange summer – complete with a bicycle crash – will come to a head in Berlin on Sunday.

The only hope for Gordon is that Gareth Southgate has called on his bench in times of need against Slovakia, Switzerland and the Netherlands. If the England boss has an ace up his sleeve, it could be Gordon. The Newcastle star could pull something out of the bag, provide an assist and he is also a penalty taker, so he could yet have a decisive role to play at the Euros.

Gordon said just last week: “I’m a nightmare for anyone I play against. I’m positive when I get the ball. I’m always trying to make something happen.” Well, against Spain, firm favourites to win the Euros, that ability to shine may well be needed.

The Toon winger summed up his role brilliantly when he said: “If and when I’m called upon, I’ll be ready.”