“When I'm called upon against DR Congo, I thought I reacted very well and got the two assists. I missed a lot of football towards the end of the season.

“I didn't think it would feel how it felt in the first two games. I felt rusty, to be honest, but I used sort of as a platform for the DR Congo game because I felt I played safe.

“I wasn't playing to my individual strength and when I got the chance against DR Congo, I just thought to myself ‘I'm not doing that, I'm going to do the things that got me here’ and obviously it paid off.”

I didn't think it would feel how it felt in the first two games. I felt rusty, to be honest, but I used sort of as a platform for the DR Congo game because I felt I played safe

Anthony Gordon

Gordon’s first tournament was Euro 2024 where he played just one minute of normal time and five minutes of added time as a substitute in a group-stage goalless draw with Slovenia across the whole seven games of England’s run to the final.

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“It was good looking back now,” Gordon said. “I didn't enjoy at the time, but I can use that for experience.

“When we got the [World Cup squad] numbers, I texted my agent and, I'm not going to lie, I wanted No11.

“But when I got No18, I said it's actually a good thing because I get to put right in that number, because in the Euros I was No18 and I felt like it was a waste of a summer for me.

“So, I viewed this as an opportunity to make something special out of that number.”

Despite that added narrative to England rivalry, Gordon described Rashford as a “lovely person” and said their relationship is “very good”.

Battle: Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon

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Gordon said: “He is very misunderstood, I think, from the outside.

“I just think he has always got a bit of stick. From my point of view, he has always had a bit of a negative view, just a bit of stick. From when I met him and from all the camps I have been on with him, he is a really nice person, as most footballers are, by the way.

“He is very humble, just quite kid-like. He just loves playing football. You see him, he's always got a ball doing kick-ups and stuff. Lovely guy [who has] been well brought up, a nice family from what I know.

“But we're in competition for a place. That’s football. At elite level, you’re always going to have that and that usually serves me well, so I'm completely fine with that and I'm sure he is.”

Given it appears to have had consequences for Rashford’s own Barcelona career, Gordon was asked whether Rashford had congratulated him on his move to the Catalan giants.

“He congratulated me as soon as he saw me,” Gordon revealed. “To be honest, he has been really helpful. I am trying to look for a house and he has helped me with things about the club, which is helpful, as I have not been there yet. He has been really helpful.”