England’s Gordon promises to mark bike crash with goal celebration

England forward Anthony Gordon has promised to do a bike-themed celebration if he scores a goal against Slovakia in their last-16 match at Euro 2024 on Sunday after he crashed his electric bike during a recovery ride at camp this week.

The 23-year-old Newcastle player escaped serious injury, suffering a gash to his chin plus scrapes on his nose, forearm and knuckles, after flying an estimated three metres over his handlebars into gravel. He was wearing a helmet at the time.

A journalist jokingly presented Gordon with a bike helmet and training wheels during his press conference on Thursday.

“I’ll put the stabilisers next to the pitch maybe and you lot (the media) will get credit for the celebration,” he said when asked about a bike-themed celebration. “I will do it. You’ve got my word.”

Gordon will need more playing time for that to happen. He made his Euro debut as an 89th-minute substitute as England looked for a late winner in their 0-0 group-match draw with Slovenia on Tuesday.