England winger Anthony Gordon has played down a viral clip of Mexico coach Javier Aguirre swearing at him during their World Cup last-16 match, saying it was harmless and even flattering.
At a first-half hydration break at the Azteca, Aguirre spoke with Jude Bellingham, then called over to Gordon near the touchline and shouted a profane remark, prompting laughter from both. “I remember it,” said Gordon, who moved from Newcastle United to Barcelona this summer. “With all the heat and tension, it was just a bit of fun. I’d just run their full-back down the line, so I took it as a compliment.”
The game produced several other light moments shared widely online, including Harry Kane croaking through his post-match interview after losing his voice and John Stones pretending to be injured.
On the pitch, Bellingham scored twice to put England 2-0 up before Julián Quiñones replied for the hosts. Jarell Quansah was sent off, but Kane restored a two-goal cushion from the spot. Raúl Jiménez converted a penalty to make it 3-2, and England held firm to set up a quarter-final against Norway on Saturday, 11 July (22:00 BST).
Aguirre, whose 31-year managerial career has included stints at Atlético Madrid, Mallorca and Espanyol, has since left his role and been replaced by Rafael Márquez. “He seemed like a good guy,” Gordon added. “He was talking to me and Jude throughout the game, which I liked given all the tension.”