Anthony Gordon: X-rated touchline remark from Mexico boss ‘just a bit of fun’
By Simon Peach, Press Association Chief Football Writer, Kansas City
England star Anthony Gordon found Mexico coach Javier Aguirre’s viral heckle funny and says he took his X-rated remark as a compliment.
Thomas Tuchel’s men secured one of the greatest wins in the nation’s World Cup history on Sunday evening as they overcame all manner of obstacles to win their last-16 tie 3-2 at a frenzied Estadio Azteca.
Moments from that special night in Mexico have taken off on social media, from John Stones scaring his manager with an injury prank before breaking into a dressing room dance to Harry Kane battling a lost voice.
Another widely-shared clip featured eccentric Mexico boss Aguirre bellowing Gordon’s name on the touchline to get the winger’s attention, only to shout “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.
“He seemed like a good guy, he was talking to me and Jude (Bellingham) throughout the game. There was a lot of tension in the game so to speak to me and Jude, I quite liked it.”
Gordon says England team-mate Bellingham got even more attention from opposition boss Aguirre, whom he called a “good character”.
“Yeah, yeah (I’ve had it before),” he said 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.”
