Barcelona World Cup Spotlight: Tough nights for Anthony Gordon and Joao Cancelo

Barcelona World Cup Spotlight: Tough nights for Anthony Gordon and Joao Cancelo The first round of games at the 2026 FIFA World Cup has come to an end, and it has been an exhilarating ride so far. The so-called bigger teams, with the exception of Germany and Argentina, have not necessarily looked convincing. The so-called smaller nations have really put up a valiant fight, with many beautiful stories, like Cape Verde holding Spain to a draw and DR Congo refusing to fold against Portugal. The Congo-Portugal game took place last night, along with England-Croatia, Ghana-Panama and Colombia-Uzbekistan. Barça’s new signing Anthony Gordon and loanee Joao Cancelo featured last night, so let us see how the duo fared for their respective nations. Joao Cancelo vs DR Congo Quiet night and a frustrating result for Cancelo. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) He may not be a permanent Barça player yet, but there is absolutely no doubt that the Catalan club are keen on keeping him around . He started for Portugal, but his night was quite frustrating. The Seleccao took an early lead through Joao Neves, only for Yoane Wissa to equalise before half-time as DR Congo earned a historic point. The Barcelona full-back did have moments of threat. He delivered a dangerous ball across the box in the first half and later had an acrobatic finish ruled out for offside. His overall display still felt uneven, with Portugal dominating possession without turning it into enough clear chances. That has always been the Cancelo trade-off. He can create angles most full-backs do not see, but when the game becomes messy, his risk-taking can make his performance look loose rather than controlled. Anthony Gordon vs Croatia Room for improvement for Gordon. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images) Gordon started for England in their 4-2 win over Croatia. For Gordon, the result was better than the performance. England scored four, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham grabbed the spotlight, and Marcus Rashford eventually replaced Gordon in the 72nd minute before scoring late. Gordon worked hard and kept trying to stretch Croatia’s backline, but he never really became a central figure in England’s best attacking moments. Gordon’s directness is useful, especially in transition, but Barça fans will want to see more quality in settled possession: cleaner combinations, sharper final balls and better timing when spaces are tight. Overall, this was a quiet Barcelona day. Gordon got the win but not the influence, while Cancelo showed flashes without producing a decisive action. Both remain worth watching, but Barça fans will expect more authority next time.