June 11th, according to the Daily Sport, Tuchel is very satisfied with Gordon's performance.
Gordon delivered an excellent performance against Costa Rica. While it's not right to overreact to warm-up matches before the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as these games are just friendlies with limited conclusions to be drawn, players rarely get the chance to prove to the coach that they deserve a starting spot. And in the most important tournament in world football, any opportunity is precious.
Gordon started in England's last warm-up match before the FIFA World Cup, against Costa Rica in Orlando, where England won 3-0. Gordon proved himself with a strong performance: he scored a penalty, provided an assist, and even created a penalty that was disallowed by VAR. As Sky Sports reporter Laura Hunter wrote, his performance was "full of energy, intensity and commitment." This also showed Rashford, the main competitor for the left-wing starting position, that he has good reason to be ahead of him.
The performance of the new signing who just joined Barcelona has created a consensus in the major British media. Days ago, Craig Hope of the Daily Mail revealed that Thomas Tuchel was "delighted about his move to Barcelona." Dan Sheldon of The Athletic wrote: "If Rashford had a slight edge against New Zealand, Gordon undoubtedly left his mark on Wednesday night, being one of England's best performers."
BBC Sport wrote: "Gordon was very active from the opening whistle, he was involved in the build-up to Rice's goal and caused a lot of trouble for Costa Rica defender Shawn Johnson. In addition, after regular penalty taker Kane was substituted, he took responsibility for taking the penalty in the second half and secured the win with that goal."
Steve Brenner of The Sun believes: "His missing the final stages of the Premier League season could be a big advantage for England, as he is fresher than many of his teammates." It should be remembered that Gordon has not played for Newcastle United since mid-April due to physical issues, so he will be in perfect condition for the FIFA World Cup.
The Sun and Sky Sports both believe that Gordon was the best player in the friendly against Costa Rica, and gave him the same rating: 9 points. Of course, this was also the highest score among all England players. Sky Sports also emphasized: "The new Barcelona winger is in a very confident phase, and he once again showed his speed and dribbling ability."
After the game, the Barcelona attacker showed astonishing confidence in an interview with ITV. He said: "There is always pressure playing for England because you know there are a lot of good players on the bench waiting to come on and change the game. If you can't handle that pressure, you're in the wrong place. I play with some incredible players, so they make me look better."
Speaking about the penalty he scored, Gordon added: "I'm glad Harry Kane wasn't on the pitch at the time. I was going to look for him, but when I realized he had been substituted, I wanted to take it myself. I like the pressure that comes with taking penalties."