Anthony Gordon has wasted no time endearing himself to the Barcelona faithful, and his latest move off the pitch has only strengthened his growing cult hero status at the Catalan club.
“Big Anthony” Wins Hearts: Gordon’s Catalan Lesson That Made Him a Barca Legend in the Making
The 25-year-old winger arrived from Newcastle United in a £69.3 million summer deal and has hit the ground running with three assists in his opening three La Liga appearances.
His debut performance off the bench against Elche produced two assists, making him the first player this century to achieve that feat in his first Spanish top-flight outing.
A clever backheel to set up Raphinha in the 5-2 victory over Rayo Vallecano even left teammate Rodri stunned as he watched the ball ripple the back of the net.
But it is not just Gordon’s on-field contributions that have captured the hearts of Barcelona supporters.
The England international has quickly earned the nickname ‘Antoni Gros’ – Catalan for ‘Big Anthony’ from the club’s devoted fanbase.
Gordon had already impressed during his unveiling press conference in June by answering questions in Spanish, a language he had been practicing since his Newcastle days.
However, Spanish outlet SPORT reports that his commitment to integration goes much further.
The former Everton star has also been actively learning Catalan, the native language of Catalonia’s capital city, spoken by approximately 70 per cent of the local population.
His dedication has not gone unnoticed by the club’s hierarchy, with sources suggesting Gordon is determined to make a lasting impact rather than merely passing through.
“It’s really difficult,” Gordon admitted to The Telegraph about learning Spanish.
“You’re trying to translate everything you’re thinking in English to Spanish. So it’s really hard.”
The winger signed a five-year contract that keeps him at the Camp Nou until 2031, and his commitment to embracing Catalan culture suggests he intends to see out that deal.
Barcelona travel to Valencia on Sunday, where Gordon will hope to make his third consecutive start after featuring against Vallecano and Athletic Bilbao.
