Santi Denia has seen them all come through. Over 15 years working across Spain's age-group set-up, the coach had a hand in developing 23 of the 26 players who lifted the World Cup. When he reaches for a comparison to describe Anthony Gordon, the name that comes to mind is Lamine Yamal.

"Gordon? What a player!" Denia told the Guardian between the two Nations League fixtures that bookend his first fortnight as Czechia head coach. "What a footballer, my God. He's at the same level as… I don't know, I was going to say Lamine. Young, daring, one-on-one, speed."

Coming from a man who watched Yamal in training when the Barcelona forward was barely a teenager, that is a serious endorsement — and one that will carry weight with England supporters still getting used to Gordon as an established international.

A rivalry that spans decades

Denia's familiarity with English football is no passing acquaintance. His Spain under-17 side beat England on penalties to win the European Championship in 2017; England turned the tables in that summer's World Cup final. In 2023, when England defeated Spain in the European under-21 final — Curtis Jones scoring the winner, James Trafford saving a penalty — Denia was in the opposing dugout. He coached his final game for Spain against England in 2025, and now, in only his first two matches with Czechia, he has been drawn against them again.

"When you work for Spain, it's normal to cross paths with England," he says. "There have been many finals, many moments."

That history gives his assessment of England's trajectory a certain authority. After watching Thomas Tuchel's side beat his new Czechia team 2-0 in Prague, Denia shook the German's hand at full-time and said something he claims he had never said after a defeat: "See you soon." Seven days later, via a stop in Oviedo where Czechia played Spain, they reconvene at Wembley.

England closer than they think

The Nations League format — four matches in 11 days, leaving almost no time on the training pitch — has drawn universal criticism from national coaches, and Denia is no exception. But his broader view of where England stand as a footballing nation is strikingly positive.

"You're this close to winning a World Cup," he says, signalling the narrowest of gaps between thumb and forefinger.

He traces the progress back to structural investment rather than luck. "The FA is one that has grown the most," he says. "You win an under-17 Euros, an under-17 World Cup in India, an under-21 Euros because you have believed in investing in youth, supported their development. Infrastructure and player development is the basis of everything."

Phil Foden earns special mention — Denia calls him "differential", a fondness rooted in watching him develop over the past decade — but it is the Gordon comparison that will attract the most attention.

Gordon and the identity question

The praise is partly a response to Gordon's recent comments suggesting England should not simply try to replicate Spain's style. Denia does not disagree with the sentiment. "Every country has its essence, you have to respect that, embrace it," he says. "You also can't change overnight; success isn't immediate, it's a process."

What Denia is clear about is that Gordon himself embodies the best of what English football produces: direct, brave, explosive. Placing him alongside Yamal in the same breath says everything about how the Czechia coach views both the player and the country that developed him.

England will be heavy favourites when the two sides meet at Wembley, and the market reflects that. But Denia arrives in London not as a man overawed by what he faces — rather as someone who has spent years watching this England generation grow up, and believes, with some conviction, that the best is still to come.

Frequently asked

What did Santi Denia say about Anthony Gordon?
Denia said Gordon is at the same level as Lamine Yamal, praising his directness, speed and bravery in one-on-one situations. He described him as 'what a player' and 'what a footballer, my God'.
When do England play Czechia at Wembley?
England face Czechia at Wembley in the UEFA Nations League, seven days after the two sides met in Prague, where England won 2-0.
Who is Santi Denia?
Santi Denia is the head coach of Czechia. He previously spent 15 years at the Spanish Football Federation coaching age-group sides from under-15 to under-23 level, helping develop the majority of Spain's World Cup-winning squad.