England star Anthony Gordon has revealed he found Mexico coach Javier Aguirre’s viral, X-rated heckle amusing, interpreting the remark as a compliment following a tense World Cup last-16 clash.
The England squad secured one of the nation’s most memorable World Cup victories on Sunday evening, overcoming numerous challenges to clinch a thrilling 3-2 win at a fervent Estadio Azteca.
The dramatic night in Mexico has since generated a flurry of social media moments, from John Stones’s injury prank on his manager to Harry Kane battling a lost voice.
Among these widely shared clips was an incident involving eccentric Mexico boss Aguirre, who was seen bellowing Gordon’s name from the touchline before shouting "f*** you" with an unhinged smile.
"I remembered it," the Barcelona new boy said with a laugh. "It’s just a bit of fun. With all the heat and tension around the game, it was a bit of fun. I’d just run the full-back down the line so it was a bit of a compliment from him. That’s how I took it anyway."
Gordon added that Aguirre seemed like a "good guy”, engaging with both him and Jude Bellingham throughout the match. He noted that Bellingham received even more attention from the opposition manager, whom he described as a "good character."
"Yeah, yeah (I’ve had it before)," Gordon explained ahead of Saturday’s World Cup quarter-final against Norway in Miami. "I’ve never argued with a manager. Usually they say things like that when you’ve done something good and they give me a compliment, or a compliment in not such a nice way like that one. I’ve had it a couple of times."
Gordon has found his form in England’s last two matches after a quiet start to the tournament. He registered two assists after coming off the bench in England’s 2-1 win over DR Congo, before earning the match-winning penalty against Mexico on Sunday.
He looks set to get the nod over Marcus Rashford again when England face Norway this weekend, with a semi-final spot up for grabs. England will be aiming to reach their second World Cup semi-final in eight years, while Norway have never reached this stage of the tournament before.
