Czechia Coach Makes Bold Claim About Barcelona Signing Anthony Gordon: “Same Level as Lamine”
Anthony Gordon has received huge praise ahead of England’s final international fixture, with Czechia coach Santi Denia making a striking comparison between the Barcelona winger and Lamine Yamal.
Gordon has been in excellent form for England during the international break, and his performances have clearly caught Denia’s attention.
The Czechia manager believes the new Barcelona signing possesses many of the same qualities that have made Yamal one of football’s most exciting young stars.
Denia Puts Gordon on Lamine Yamal’s Level
Speaking to The Guardian, Denia could barely hide his admiration for Gordon when discussing the Barcelona winger.
“Gordon? What a player! What a footballer, my God!”
Denia then made a bold comparison with Yamal.
“He’s at the same level as, I don’t know, I was going to say Lamine.”
The Czechia coach highlighted the qualities that convinced him the two players can be compared.
“Young, daring, one-on-one, speed.”
The comparison carries particular weight because Denia has extensive experience within Spain’s youth system. He spent 15 years working with Spain’s youth teams and has previously coached Yamal during the Barcelona star’s development.
For Denia, Gordon possesses many of the same characteristics that make Yamal such a dangerous attacker.
Denia Praises England’s Player Development
Denia’s comments came while discussing Gordon’s recent views on the differences between English and Spanish football.
Gordon has previously suggested that England should not simply attempt to replicate Spain’s footballing model, and Denia largely agreed.
“Every country has its own essence; we must respect and embrace it.”
The Czechia coach stressed that developing a successful footballing culture requires patience rather than attempting to transform everything immediately.
“You can’t change things overnight; success isn’t immediate, it’s a process.”
Denia also praised the work being done within English football to develop young players.
“What a great job English football has done developing players like him.”
He added:
“They’ve believed in investing in youth and have supported their development.”
According to Denia, giving young players opportunities at different levels eventually helps prepare them for senior international football.
“You give them opportunities and experiences that eventually lead to them playing for the senior national team.”
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Gordon’s Barcelona Adventure Is Just Beginning
Denia’s comments provide another strong endorsement of the qualities Barcelona saw when they decided to bring Gordon to Camp Nou.
The English winger has already shown his pace, directness and ability to take defenders on, qualities that fit naturally into Hansi Flick’s high-intensity attacking system.
However, Gordon could potentially start Barcelona’s next La Liga match against Getafe on the bench, with Flick reportedly considering Karim Adeyemi for the starting XI.
Regardless, the comparison with Yamal is another reminder of the expectations surrounding Gordon following his move to Barcelona.