'I disagree!' - Roy Keane shuts down Anthony Gordon claim that England are on same level as World Cup winners Spain

Following a dramatic night at Wembley where Spain overturned a deficit to win, Barcelona winger Anthony Gordon was bullish about England's standing in world football. The former Everton man, who scored a fine equaliser on the night, suggested that the Three Lions are now operating on the same tactical and technical plane as Luis de la Fuente's side. However, Roy Keane, speaking in his role as a pundit for ITV Sport, was far from convinced by the forward's logic, pointing to Spain's recent trophy cabinet as the ultimate proof of the disparity between the two nations.

Keane delivered a characteristically blunt assessment of the situation, making it clear that confidence does not necessarily equal quality. Responding to the England forward, Keane said on ITV Sport: 'I disagree with Gordon, I think there is a gap. I think there is, obviously [Spain are] world champions, European champions.' The Irishman's comments underscored a night where England showed glimpses of brilliance but ultimately faltered against a Spanish side that seems to have a psychological and technical edge in high-pressure moments, particularly after Mikel Oyarzabal repeated his Euro 2024 final heroics to net the winner.

The match could have told a very different story for Tuchel's men had key moments gone their way. Harry Kane had initially put England into a 2-1 lead before the half-time interval, but the captain's evening soured when he missed a crucial second-half penalty. A slip at the vital moment saw the ball sail wide, and the momentum shifted almost immediately. Alex Baena levelled the scores before Oyarzabal struck late to break English hearts once again, proving that La Roja possess a clinical edge that the hosts currently lack in the biggest exchanges.

Gordon remained defiant despite the result, insisting that the fine margins of the game did not reflect a gulf in class. Speaking to ITV Sport, he stated: 'I don't think there is a gap [to Spain] I feel like we're right there. We can win that game so easily. If the penalty goes in, we can go on and win the game. In hindsight it's always easy to say that. But I felt good in the game. I don't think there is a gap and I think if we played them in the final I would've felt confident. Being confident doesn't always translate into a win, but I think you've seen here tonight that we're a top team.'

The defeat highlighted England's ongoing struggles to dictate tempo through possession against top-tier opposition, despite their threat on the counter-attack. Currently competing in Nations League League A Group 3 alongside Croatia and Czech Republic, Tuchel's side must quickly regroup as they prepare to face Czech in their next fixture on Tuesday.

Reflecting on these tactical nuances in the mixed zone after the match, Gordon told Sky Sports News: 'What I said in the midweek was mainly about them, how they control, and they're incredible at it; they're the best. It doesn't mean we're not good at it; we are good. We're just not as good as them, in my opinion. But we're better at other things. I think my goal summed that up. How direct we were, how fast we went from one goal to the other. That's what I was talking about, that direct style of play. Which is also neat and tidy, just in our own English way.'

Following Tuesday's clash with Czech, England will continue their international window with a trip to face Croatia on October 3, before hosting the return fixture against Czech on October 6. Having secured promotion back to the top tier following a stint in League B last season, the Three Lions are aiming to rebuild momentum in a competition where their best finish remains a third-placed spot in the inaugural 2018-19 campaign.