England can win trophies without copying Spain’s style — Gordon

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England can win major tournaments without trying to copy Spain, Anthony Gordon has said as the Three Lions prepare to face the world champions.

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England will meet Spain at Wembley on Saturday in their first game together since the World Cup, where Thomas Tuchel’s side reached the semi-finals before beating France in the third-place match.

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Gordon believes England should focus on their own strengths rather than attempting to reproduce Spain’s possession-based style.

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As reported by BBC Sport on Thursday, Gordon was quoted as saying, “We can’t keep looking at other countries and trying to be like them, because we’re not them – we’re English and we have our own strengths which they don’t have.

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“So maybe we start playing the way we’re good at.”

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The Barcelona winger has gained first-hand experience of Spanish football since moving to the Catalan club from Newcastle for £69.3m in the summer.

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Gordon said that experience had given him a different perspective on the way Spanish players control games.

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“I’m speaking from a point of view where I feel like we are trying to replicate Spain,” he said.

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“Because I’m in Spain, I know we have just as good players, but they have different qualities, so why are you trying to make those players the same as the Spanish players?

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Gordon also questioned whether Spain’s ability to dominate possession is something that can simply be taught.

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“It’s not in the English DNA,” he said.

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“I’m not sure it’s something that can be taught because now I think, playing in Spain, I can speak with an educated view on the way they keep the ball is different.”

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He added: “It’s the way they’re built. I don’t know whether it is something that maybe we can’t ever put a name to, but they’re definitely built different.”

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Gordon also reflected on England’s World Cup semi-final defeat by Argentina, describing the aftermath as one of the lowest moments of his career.

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“I’ve never felt worse,” he said.

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However, he believes the disappointment could ultimately provide motivation for England in future tournaments.

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“The scar doesn’t have to be a negative one because it might lead us to victory in the next tournaments,” Gordon said.

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