Gordon: Mentality more important than talent; social media making things worse. England's forward and this summer's record signing reflects on his mental transformation since his loan spell at Preston, his aversion to social media, and his view of football as a game of intelligence.

Grim, damp, weathered, yet full of unique character, Liverpool's industrial city can be aggressive on its streets.

"It's a tough city, so you have to know how to fight. That's just how it is," says Gordon, this summer's record signing at €80 million. Gordon knows what he's talking about: he was involved in several fights before becoming famous.

That's Liverpool. Football, boxing, and music—three things that matter most, plus, of course, The Beatles. Gordon only remembers "Yellow Submarine," but he eventually traded the boxing ring for the pitch and left his beloved Liverpool to join Everton.

At age 11, he was rejected by Liverpool and later developed in the Toffees' academy, gradually making a name for himself after joining Newcastle United. Now, he's learning Spanish and Catalan.

"I knew a bit about Catalan history beforehand, but since coming here, I want to learn more," he says.

However, during the interview, he preferred to speak English.

"I can understand and speak it, but I'm a bit shy."

Q: But you don't look that way on the pitch.

A: I'm not like that on the pitch. People's impression of me is always very different from who I really am. They always confuse me as a person with me as a player. The moment I step onto the pitch, I become a different person.

But I have to be the best version of myself. I'm very tough and aggressive; I want to win. Off the pitch, I'm calm and don't talk much.

Q: Does this on-pitch personality make you stand out?

A: Of course. At this level, aside from players like Lamine Yamal and Pedri, everyone's talent is fairly similar. Everyone is basically at the same level; what really makes the difference is mentality.

I've played against some very talented players, but they never reached their full potential because their minds weren't clear enough. For me, a strong mentality is more important than a lot of talent. Talent is too unstable.

Q: When did you realize this?

A: Around age 19. I was very talented back then, but my mentality wasn't strong or stable enough. I was loaned to Preston from Everton and barely got playing time.

After that loan, I told myself: "I can't drop to this level again. I have to play in the Premier League; I can't go back to the Championship."

When preseason started, I began reading books every day, watching videos...

Q: What kind of books do you read?

A: "Winning" and "Relentless" by Tim Grover. From then on, I became very focused on personal development and gradually understood many things.

Q: Do you read fiction?

A: I only read self-help books. I read to stimulate my brain, to learn life lessons, and to understand things I didn't know before. As for fiction, I prefer watching films.

Q: Do you really want to start a book club in the changing room?

A: I'd love to, but I haven't tried it. The lads are too young; they wouldn't do that sort of thing.

I know not many footballers like reading. But I feel like an old soul, you know? I feel like I belong to the past.

Q: Explain further.

A: I belong to another era. I feel like my personality is more like someone from the 90s. Everyone is obsessed with social media now; everything has become very materialistic, and romance barely exists.

I'm not like that; I prefer the past.

Q: That might not always be about the era. I know plenty of people born in the 90s, even the 80s, who are equally addicted to Instagram's 'like' culture.

A: Since social media emerged, maybe from around 2010, I feel the world has gotten worse. People started focusing on things that are completely unimportant.

The only thing that really matters is your family and the people around you.

Q: So you'll never find yourself relaxing on the sofa scrolling through your phone on a Sunday afternoon?

A: I could, and I do it more than I should, but I don't enjoy it. Every time I scroll, I feel guilty and even more unhappy.

Q: How has social media changed players' lives?

A: Players now care too much about what others think. A player who scores a goal or gets an assist gets heavily praised, even if his overall performance was poor.

I'd rather play well without scoring. For me, that's real football. I'd rather make the right decision for the team than play poorly but score a goal.

Q: So you prioritize making the right choices over scoring?

A: That's how I play. Because I press aggressively, it's easy for people to notice that. But I think once they observe me closely, they'll find that my true level might surprise many people.

That happened at Newcastle United. Eddie Howe signed me from Everton to run and press. But when I got there, people thought, "Oh, you're actually quite a good player."

I feel that my football intelligence as a player is my most underrated ability. And that's why I'm a good fit for Barcelona.

At this club, if you're not intelligent enough, you'll be found out. You have to make the right decision constantly, or you'll look bad.

Q: What do you mean by intelligent?

A: Intelligent means making the right decision more often than the wrong one.

Maybe I should shoot more often or be less selfless with my passes, but that's not in my nature. Making the right decision makes me feel good.

Q: What did Flick say when he called you?

A: He said he wanted me to join, that he believes I fit his tactics and what he values.

When you talk to him, you find that he has a great personality; he's a good man. He's very direct, and I like that. I prefer honesty, even if it sounds very blunt.

Plus, they already have the best team, so I wanted to be part of that.

Q: People often talk about Mbappé or Lamine Yamal, but don't you feel that in Spain, people forget about Harry Kane?

A: It's the same everywhere. In England, people only focus on the Premier League; in Germany, people only talk about Harry Kane because of Bayern Munich.

The reason Lamine Yamal and Mbappé are always talked about here is because they're the two best players. It's natural that people focus on what they have right now.

Q: Does Lamine Yamal surprise you?

A: Very much, but not because of his talent, rather because of his mentality.

I already knew he was brilliant and talented, but I didn't expect his attitude to be so good. Usually, players so young and talented might be a bit relaxed defensively, but the intensity of his pressing is as high as Raphinha's and mine.

Plus, he never misses a gym session.

Q: What about Rodri?

A: Same with him. Although I've played against him before and already knew him, he's still a monster.

Whenever he's on the pitch, if we lose the ball and the opposition attacks, he's always there. In attack, with him, the game slows down, which gives us time and space to advance and attack.

It's the perfect combination.

Diterjemahkan oleh AI.

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