Anthony Gordon Found Respect At Barcelona, Not Just In England

Anthony Gordon left the Premier League for Barcelona to get 'respect,' and he's got it now . This summer, the 25-year-old English winger arrived from Newcastle United with an initial fee north of €70 million and instantly made an impact. He is already a key part of coach Hansi Flick's attack alongside Lamine Yamal and Raphinha. It looks like he finally found the home he needed to really show his talent.

Gordon never stopped believing he was meant for the top level, even through the hard times. His boyhood club Everton saw him fight relegation, while a 2021 loan spell took him to Preston North End. He also dealt with scoreless streaks after moving to Newcastle in 2023. But he never lost faith in his own ability to succeed at the highest level.

Earlier this season, Gordon spoke about people in England starting to respect " the quality and IQ that I play with ." His comments were seen as a sign he had not always gotten the recognition he deserved back home. He told ESPN that he did not mean that people were judging him unfairly or that they had a negative view of him. He simply meant they had never seen him in a system that highlights these qualities before.

People hadn't seen him in this kind of system before, which he thinks is helping them appreciate him more. The move to Spain seems to have unlocked a side of his game that the Premier League could not show. Maxime Estève, a defender now at RB Leipzig, told ESPN that Gordon is really good and sharp with a great right foot. Estève said Gordon is great at one-on-ones and wants to beat the right back every time.

Was departing the Premier League necessary for him to achieve this? It seems the answer is yes for Gordon. The English game often demands a certain type of physical play that can hide a player's true brain and skill set. Barcelona offers a different kind of football that lets his IQ shine through on the field. Now a regular starter, he kicked off Tuesday's UEFA Champions League victory over Aston Villa.

Gordon and Barcelona will kick off their LaLiga clash against Atlético Madrid this Sunday at the top of the table. The fans in England might have missed out on seeing his full potential for a few more years. Now they get to watch him thrive on one of the biggest stages in world soccer. The respect he wanted is now being given to him in spades by the Spanish league.