Barcelona winger Gordon gave an exclusive interview to Spanish newspaper El País, discussing his personality, evolving mindset, views on social media, and his emotions since joining Barcelona. He explained that game intelligence is one of his most underrated qualities, and when playing for Barcelona, if you're not smart enough, you'll struggle.

At age 11, Gordon was rejected by Liverpool, then developed at Everton's academy before rising to prominence at Newcastle United. Currently, Gordon is learning Spanish and Catalan. He said: "I knew a bit about Catalan history before coming here, but now I want to learn more." However, he chose to conduct this interview in English. "I can understand and speak it, but I'm a bit shy."

But on the pitch, you don't seem that way.

Not on the pitch, no. People's perception of me is always very different from who I really am; they confuse the person I am off the pitch with the player on it. The moment I step onto the pitch, I become a different person. But I need to be the best version of myself. I play very intensely, with high intensity, and I want to win. Off the pitch, I'm very calm and quiet.

Is this on-pitch mentality the reason you can make a difference?

Definitely. At this level, apart from Yamal, Pedri, and players of that caliber, the talent of others is actually quite similar. What truly separates top players from good players is mentality.

I've played with very talented players, but they never reached their full potential because their mentality wasn't strong enough. For me, having a strong mentality is far more important than having lots of talent, because talent alone isn't reliable.

When did you realize that?

Around age 19. I was a very talented player back then, but my mentality wasn't strong or stable enough. I was loaned from Everton to Preston, but got very little playing time. After the loan ended, I told myself: I can't go back to this level. I need to play in the Premier League; I can't go back to the Championship. When I returned for preseason training, I started reading books, watching videos every day...

What kind of books do you read?

"Winning" and "Relentless" by Tim Grover. Since then, I've focused a lot on self-development and started understanding many things.

Do you read fiction?

I only read self-development books. I read to stimulate my brain, to learn things about life and learn things I don't know. As for fiction, I prefer watching films.

I heard you once wanted to start a book club in the dressing room. Is that true?

I really wanted to, but I haven't tried. These lads are too young; they wouldn't want to join. I know that a footballer who likes reading is very rare. But I feel like I have a very old soul, you know? Like I belong to a different era.

Explain that further.

I feel like I belong to a different era. My personality would probably fit better with the 90s. Everyone now is obsessed with social media, everything has become very materialistic, and romance is almost gone. I'm not that kind of person; I prefer the past.

I'm not sure if that's a generational thing, because I know people born in the 90s and even the 80s who are equally obsessed with social media "like" culture.

Since social media emerged, around 2010 onwards, I feel the world has gotten worse. People focus on things that are completely unimportant. What really matters is what's in your home, around the people closest to you.

So you're never on the sofa at home scrolling through your phone for an entire afternoon?

Of course I am, more often than I should be, but I don't enjoy it. Every time I do, I feel guilty and become unhappier.

How has social media changed footballers' lives?

Now, players are very concerned about what others think of them. A player gets lots of praise just for scoring or assisting, even if they played poorly that match.

I'd rather play a great match without scoring; that's real football to me. I'd rather make the right decisions for my team than play badly but score.

So intelligence is more important than goals?

My playing style has a distinctive character because I'm involved in pressing, so people pay a lot of attention to that. I think when people watch me play up close, my true quality might surprise many. It was the same at Newcastle United. Eddie Howe signed me from Everton to run and press. But when I arrived, they realized, "Oh, so you're actually quite a good player."

I think my game intelligence is my most underrated quality as a footballer. And I also think that's why I can play for Barcelona. Because in this team, if you're not intelligent enough, you'll get lost. You have to make the right decisions constantly; otherwise, you'll look very bad on the pitch.

So what does intelligence mean to you?

Intelligence means making more right decisions than wrong ones. Maybe I should shoot more, or be less generous with my passes, but that's not my nature. Making the right decisions makes me feel good.

How did Hans Flick approach you?

He told me that he wanted me here, that I suit his style and fit the way he likes football to be played.

When you talk to him, you see he has a wonderful personality. He's calm, a good person, and very direct in his speech, which I really appreciate. I like people who are honest with me, even if that honesty is harsh. Plus, they have the strongest team, so I wanted to be part of it.

People often talk about Mbappé or Yamal, but do you feel that in Spain, people somewhat overlook Harry Kane?

It's the same everywhere. In England, people only care about the Premier League; in Germany, people talk about Harry Kane because he plays for Bayern. Here, people talk about Yamal and Mbappé because they're the two best players. That's normal; you usually only see what's directly in front of you.

Has Yamal surprised you?

Very much, but what really surprised me is his mentality. I knew he'd be excellent, and I knew he was talented, but I didn't expect his attitude. Usually, a young, talented player like that can be a bit lazy defensively, but his pressing intensity is as high as Raphinha's and mine. And he never misses a gym session.

What about Rodri?

He surprised me too, but I've faced him before, so I already knew him. He's a monster. When he's on the pitch, if we lose the ball and the opposition starts attacking, he's always there. And in attack, he can slow the tempo of the match, which gives us time and space to attack. It's the perfect combination.

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