Gary Lineker details private chat with Anthony Gordon after Euro 2024 final loss

Gary Lineker has shed light on a conversation he had with Anthony Gordon , insisting the Newcastle winger deserved more time on the pitch for England during Euro 2024 .

Despite offering a possible spark of change, Gordon saw minimal action throughout the tournament. He was left warming the bench for most of England's campaign, despite growing clamour for his inclusion following Phil Foden's underwhelming displays . Lineker revealed he offered a word of consolation to Gordon after England's final defeat to Spain, reassuring him of future chances.

During The Rest is Football podcast, Lineker and Alan Shearer discussed how Gordon's pace might have dovetailed with Harry Kane's playing style. Lineker shared: "I saw Anthony Gordon after the game and I said to him briefly, 'I feel for you at this tournament, I think you should have got more minutes'. And I went, 'But don't worry, you will get more chances.'"

READ MORE: Alexis Mac Alister filmed looking around for his family in worrying Copa America scenes
READ MORE: Argentina media split on Alexis Mac Allister in Copa America final as Arne Slot handed new issue

In dissecting the outcome of the final, Rio Ferdinand didn't shy away from critiquing Southgate's game plan, tying England's shortcomings to the manager's choices. "We said after the group stages, if you're going to play the conservative side of things with the amount of talent we have in this squad, you have to win," the former England captain stated.

"Otherwise it will come down to it being absolutely dissected and looked at as being a negative approach. That falls on the manager's toes. He sets this team out in a particular way to play. That's his style of football and you have to win playing like that because these players are too good. They play too well for their clubs to come here and look a shadow of themselves.

"We were a team when the game was in the balance - but we were held back on a leash and that's the disappointing thing with the quality of players we have in this squad. The top teams get control and are aggressive from minute one and take games off opponents."

Liverpool.com says: Lineker is right - Gordon should've played more minutes at Euro 2024. England desperately needed a winger on the left flank, but Southgate continued to play Foden in the role.