England winger Anthony Gordon viewed now former Mexico boss Javier Aguirre’s cheeky X-rated quip as ‘a bit of a compliment’.
An interaction between the two during England’s round of 16 clash against Mexico went viral.
In the clip, Aguirre yells out Gordon’s name and instantly follows it up by shouting, ‘F*** you.’
Just as Aguirre issues the expletive, he tilts his head and laughs, with Gordon also seen smiling.
The exchange has been viewed by millions on social media, with one football apparel brand going as far as immortalising it in the form of a T-shirt.
Gordon: Aguirre’s quip was ‘a bit of a compliment’
For Gordon, the encounter was a welcome one that helped relax him early into what loomed as an emotionally-charged contest.
“I remembered it,” Gordon said.
“It’s just a bit of fun. With all the heat and tension around the game, it was a bit of fun.
“I’d just run the full-back down the line so it was a bit of a compliment from him.
“That’s how I took it anyway.”
Gordon, who labelled Aguirre a ‘good character’, added it wasn’t the first time he’d engaged with the opposite coach during a match.
“I’ve never argued with a manager,” Gordon said.
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“Usually they say things like that when you’ve done something good and they give me a compliment, or a compliment in not such a nice way like that one.
“I’ve had it a couple of times.”
Although Aguirre was happy to engage with the newly-minted Barcelona winger on the touchline, there’s no certainty Norway boss Stale Solbakken will be as jovial on Saturday when England takes on the Scandinavian nation in the quarter-final.
Solbakken has guided Norway to their best run at a World Cup, having only reached the round of 16 in previous attempts.
Central to Norway’s run has been the blistering form of Erling Haaland, who is one goal behind Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe in the World Cup golden boot race.
However, Gordon has enjoyed a solid burst of his own, assisting three of England’s five goals in the knockout stage.
He’ll look to add even more to his tally on Saturday, with the contest between England and Norway due to kick off at 10pm BST.
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