England winger Anthony Gordon has described being sworn at by Mexico manager Javier Aguirre during their World Cup last-16 clash as “just a bit of fun” – a moment that has gone viral on social media – while the squad now turns to a strict diet of beetroot shots and a ban on ketchup and mayonnaise ahead of Saturday’s quarter-final against Norway.
Gordon, who joined Barcelona from Newcastle this summer, recalled the exchange during a hydration break in the first half of England’s dramatic 3-2 win at the Azteca Stadium. “It’s just a bit of fun,” he said. “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.” Aguirre, 67, who has since left his post and been replaced by Rafael Marquez, first spoke to Jude Bellingham before shouting an explicit comment at Gordon, prompting both to laugh.
“Gordon calls Aguirre's explicit heckle 'fun' as England's World Cup diet bans ketchup and adds beetroot.”
Aguirre “seemed like a good guy”, Gordon added. “He was talking to me and Jude throughout the game. There was a lot of tension in the game so to speak to me and Jude, I quite liked it.”
Meanwhile, as England gear up for the quarter-final against Norway on Saturday, 11 July (22:00 BST), the squad’s pre-match nutrition is already underway. Jonny Marsh, known as ‘The Football Feeder’ and a chef to around 100 Premier League players including goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, said the players will be consuming large quantities of beetroot and possibly beetroot shots to “support exercise performance naturally”. Carbohydrate intake began gradually on Thursday, with more carb-focused meals on Friday and a lighter, low-fibre meal on matchday morning.
Marsh also revealed that everyday condiments such as ketchup and mayonnaise have been “pretty much cut out” in many top-level setups, including England’s, due to their high sugar and fat content. “It wasn’t really a single manager’s rule, more a general shift in how clubs approached nutrition,” he said. With soaring temperatures causing contentious hydration breaks across the tournament, Marsh expects hydrating ingredients like watercress and cucumber to feature in salads, alongside hydration sachets and fresh juices from melon, beetroot, oranges and lemons.
Despite the intense heat, England held on to defeat Mexico – after Jude Bellingham scored twice, Harry Kane added a penalty, and Jarell Quansah was sent off – to set up the Norway clash, which will be broadcast on BBC and ITV.