Anthony Gordon reached another impressive milestone this weekend, just over a year after swapping Everton for Newcastle United.
The 23-year-old made his international debut on Saturday night, starting for England during the 1-0 defeat to Brazil at Wembley.
Gareth Southgate was pleased with what he saw from the Newcastle United winger, as he took his club form to the national team. However, he was not the best Toon player on display. That honour goes to Bruno Guimaraes, who was outstanding for Brazil against the Three Lions.
But Saturday night will be a defining moment in Anthony Gordon‘s career, and it should be the first of many England caps.
It sums up how much he has kicked on since leaving Everton to sign for Newcastle, as he continues to justify being one of the club’s most expensive signings ever at £45million.
It has been quite the journey for Gordon, and pundit Micah Richards believes he deserves a huge amount of praise for the character he has shown and the setbacks he has endured.
Micah Richards gives Anthony Gordon huge credit after England debut
Micah Richards has been speaking about Gordon and his England debut on the latest episode of The Rest Is Football podcast.
“A year ago he was at Everton and things were up and down,” he said.
“He was treated as though from Everton fans, if you want to go, then go. Then he was linked with Chelsea for big money and everyone was saying he’s not worth anywhere near that money.
“Then he goes to Newcastle and performs after last year being player of the tournament for the 21s and just focusses on his game. That needs a lot of praise because that shows character, that shows that even in difficult times you can overcome them and believe in your ability. I have to give him credit for that.
“To go to a big stage and still perform against Brazil, it might not be Brazil of old, but to have the character to do that I just thought, yeah, fair play to you.”
Newcastle bought potential when they signed Anthony Gordon
Gordon did not look out of place in the England team on Saturday night, starting against arguably the most historic nation in football in Brazil. Gordon deserves a huge amount of credit for that, as he continues to prove why Newcastle spent so much money on him.
They bought him because of his potential. They believed he could get to this stage, and will also have confidence in him getting even better. Gordon shares that confidence, as he believes there is still more to come.
That is excellent news for Toon fans, while Everton will look back and wonder what might have been.
His departure from Goodison Park was far from harmonious, while he was booed beyond belief when he returned to Merseyside earlier this season. The way he left the Toffees was not pretty, and it summed up where Everton were and still are as a club.
The atmosphere there was massively toxic, and it was hurting Gordon’s development. But now he is surrounded by positivity, and he is flying in the black and white of Newcastle – and the white of England.
Representing your country is a huge achievement, and Gordon should be immensely proud. He has worked tremendously hard to get to this level, showcasing the perseverance and desire you need to get to the top.
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