Anthony Gordon says it's taken a transfer to Spanish champions Barcelona for people in England to finally respect how good he is as a footballer.
Gordon, 25, swapped Newcastle United for Barça in the summer in a deal worth an initial €70 million ($79.4m).
The England international is still waiting for his first goal for his new club, but he has impressed on and off the ball in his first seven appearances, providing five assists.
"I think I've become a different player in a lot of people's eyes," Gordon told ITV while on international duty with the Three Lions this week.
"I always felt in England, people respected me because I was fast and I pressed but they never actually respected the quality and IQ that I play with.
"Only the players I play with ever seem to notice that. I think now I'm at Barcelona and I play a different style, those qualities are highlighted much more and people are actually starting to take notice that I'm not just quick.
"In England, it was never really respected because people just see me as really quick and really aggressive. In Spain, they really appreciate my IQ and quality because at Barça, if you're not technical, if you're not smart, you're going to stand out like a sore thumb."
Gordon's taken his club form into the international break, scoring against Spain as England fell to a 3-2 defeat in their opening game of the UEFA Nations League on Saturday.
The former Everton winger believes displays like that, coupled with playing for Barça, will change the public opinion of him in his homeland.
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"I think they're starting to [respect me more]," he added. "I still think it can happen more but they're starting to because they see me play for Barcelona in a different style of football where maybe those qualities are highlighted more.
"I played for Newcastle who were a really intense running team so the attributes of running and aggression were always on show. Now, I play a whole opposite style of football where my other qualities can show.
"[Sometimes you have to leave to be appreciated] -- and that was kind of what I wanted, if I'm honest. I wanted to leave the Premier League. I wanted a different experience and I wanted exactly that.
"I felt like I had more than what people thought of me and I wanted to show that on the world's biggest stage."
England face Czechia away in the Nations League on Tuesday, travel to Croatia on Saturday and then host Czechia next week before the conclusion of the extended international break.
Gordon will then return to Barça -- who have won all eight of their matches so far this season -- for a hectic October which includes matches away against Galatasaray and Paris Saint-Germain in addition to the first Clásico of the season against Real Madrid.
