Anthony Gordon Backs Lamine Yamal and Harry Kane in Ballon d’Or Race
Anthony Gordon will begin England’s new Nations League campaign against Spain on Saturday with an unusually close view of two leading contenders for football’s biggest individual honour: Barcelona team-mate Lamine Yamal and England captain Harry Kane.
The 25-year-old winger joined Barcelona in a £70 million summer transfer and has made an immediate impact in Spain, supplying five assists in his opening seven La Liga appearances. His club form has placed him alongside Yamal ahead of a reunion with Kane when England host the reigning world champions.
England return for the first time since their painful World Cup semi-final defeat to Argentina, a match in which Gordon put Thomas Tuchel’s side ahead after the interval before Enzo Fernandez and Lautaro Martinez turned the contest around late on for a 2-1 win.
Gordon weighs up Yamal and Kane
Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe remains among the names discussed for the major individual prize, but Gordon believes Kane and Yamal have produced particularly strong cases over the past season.
Kane scored 73 goals in all competitions during 2025-26 and was central to England’s World Cup run. Yamal, meanwhile, collected both the La Liga title and the World Cup while still only 19.
Gordon said the choice came down to his Barcelona colleague or his international captain, describing Yamal’s development at such an age as extraordinary. He said the teenager was operating “on another level” and judged him the best winger in world football when considering pure ability.
At the same time, Gordon argued that Kane’s record could not be dismissed. He said the striker’s scoring output had made his season historic and noted Kane’s importance to England during the World Cup. Both, he said, had compelling claims.
England seek response after Argentina setback
The match with Spain offers England an immediate test against the side they would have met in the World Cup final had they held their lead against Argentina. Tuchel’s decision to retreat into a defensive shape in the closing stages of that semi-final drew heavy criticism as Argentina took control and completed the comeback.
The Football Association has nevertheless retained its faith in the German coach, who is expected to shape a team capable of competing for Euro 2028, which England will host.
For Gordon, the Spain fixture also brings the chance to carry his Barcelona momentum into international football while facing several club colleagues. England will hope that a strong result against La Roja can provide a cleaner start to the new tournament cycle after the disappointment of the summer.
