Gareth Southgate made a mistake by choosing Anthony Gordon instead of Marcus Rashford for Euro 2024, says Glenn Hoddle
According to former professional footballer and coach Glenn Hoddle, England men’s national football team coach Gareth Southgate made a mistake by choosing Anthony Gordon instead of Marcus Rashford for Euro 2024.
Speaking on the In the Zone podcast, the former England manager had this to say to the current England manager about the omission of the 26-year-old United striker:
“I would have chosen Marcus Rashford because I think he performs better for England than Man United and I think we need a bit of pace. They have Anthony Gordon, who has that pace but has no experience.“
Hoddle on Rashford omission, quoted by the Manchester Evening News
Rashford had a season to forget in 2023/24, as he followed up his tally of 30 goals from the previous year with one that didn’t even reach double figures. His poor performances have led to reports suggesting that Man United are willing to let him go this summer.
Gordon, on the other hand, had a productive season for Newcastle as they returned to the Premier League after a difficult start to their 2023/24 campaign. The 23-year-old started the season as European Under-21 champion and finished it with more goals and assists than Rashford.
Southgate made no mistake
Southgate has been more aggressive than he is known for in picking England’s squad for Euro 2024 this time around. Many of his former stalwarts, such as Jack Grealish, Jordan Henderson and Harry Maguire, failed to make the final squad of 26 men alongside Rashford.
An argument can be made for a couple of the aforementioned names who could have been chosen, but that is not the case for Rashford, whose omission seems an easy decision to make.
To suggest at the start of this season that Rashford would not be in the Euro squad would have been unimaginable. This has been the poor form of the 26-year-old.
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But to provide an answer to Mr Hoddle’s claim: no, Southgate was not wrong to choose Gordon over Rashford. Gordon has been in better form in the same period, producing more goals and assists and offering much more industry off the ball than Rashford.
