It’s time for exceptional talent Phil Foden to have key role for Manchester City and England
At Wembley on Sunday, Phil Foden gave us all a reminder of his talent and maturity with a man-of-the-match performance as Manchester City beat Aston Villa in the final of the Carabao Cup.
The way he addresses the ball; his balance and awareness; his understanding of the way City want to play; that extra finesse that left-footed players have; in short, Foden is outstanding.
You just want to watch the 19-year-old, and I believe we’ll be seeing a lot more of him for City and England in the coming months.
Foden’s display at the weekend will have come as no surprise to his club coach. Managing a youngster’s development can be a puzzle and Pep Guardiola deserves huge credit for his handling of this one.
The player could have become frustrated at being used sparingly – he has started 21 games this season and last, mostly in the cups – especially as Jadon Sancho has flourished since leaving for Germany in search of regular first-team action.
But Guardiola has kept Foden involved and convinced him that, at 18 or 19, he doesn’t need to play every game, especially in the Premier League, where the physicality poses a greater risk of injury.
Of course, there has been some pragmatism on Pep’s part to playing more senior players ahead of Foden.
But that’s also a reflection of the competition he faces, and Guardiola will be challenging Foden to refine and fine-tune his game like David Silva and Bernardo Silva have.
Foden’s served his apprenticeship
Now is the time for Foden to take the next step. He has served his apprenticeship, gone through a learning period and is ready for elevation by club and country.
David Silva’s departure from City in the summer is a natural opportunity for Foden to be promoted. He will be tasked with emulating Silva at his peak; that is the level the club require.
Fitness permitting, Foden simply has to become a regular starter in the league next season. I’ll eat my hat if he doesn’t. This isn’t some run-of-the-mill player – he is exceptional.
Foden’s promotion for England could come sooner. Although he isn’t 20 until May, he has accumulated enough experience – 26 appearances last season, 25 already this term – to be considered ready.
He is used to training with the best technical team in the country on a daily basis and, as a key figure in the Under-17s’ World Cup win three years ago, he knows the national set-up inside out.
Although he seems quiet, that is no barrier to making his mark at senior level. A lot of footballers are introverts off the field who express their personalities when they play the game.
Playing the Messi role
Foden’s qualities make him suited to more than one role. He can play as a left-footed winger coming in off the right, as he did against Villa and as is fashionable, or as a No10.
Good decision-making is what marks out the great players, and he has that. It’s difficult to make comparisons but he could become the player that Jack Wilshere never did.
Foden is also excellent in small spaces. Both of the Silvas excel at that but the best in the business is Lionel Messi. I’m not saying Foden will get to that level, but he can have that role.
England certainly have a vacancy for a creative midfielder who can unlock defences and, with James Maddison off the boil and Ross Barkley not playing regularly, I see a chance for Foden.
I’d have no qualms about starting him for England and I would be more surprised if Foden wasn’t part of Gareth Southgate’s Euro 2020 squad and dazzling at Wembley again this summer.