Jude Bellingham and Phil Foden have a chance to take the Euros by storm with England. Photo: AFP/Ina Fassbender
He's been City's star of the season, a deserving Player of the Year, and there's every chance he'll be running the show at Wembley on Saturday. Now Phil Foden faces another test this summer.
The time has come to gain full recognition and recognition from his country.
Foden remains in that category of top-class English footballers that is more synonymous. with brilliant performances for his club. In his case, it's because the standards he set in a Manchester City shirt are so high that England's performances are simply underwhelming by comparison.
Foden has not yet worked consistently with Gareth Southgate, to the point that at the last World Cup he never felt fully trusted. I remember there were times when I was shouting at the TV for the manager to bring Foden onto the pitch.
Part of the problem is that England don't play like City – they're clearly not as good – and Foden also did not find a position where it would be convenient for him to demonstrate his abilities.
Comparisons can be drawn with Jude Bellingham, who heads to this year's European Championship and is considered one of the best players in the world, a possible Ballon d'Or winner if Real Madrid win the Champions League, and the man England fans believe Southgate is most likely to win. should build his team around this.
Jude Bellingham won La Liga with Real Madrid in his first season Photo : Getty Images/Alberto Gardin
Bellingham is a phenomenon, but for me Foden is the most gifted footballer in England. I know how this will be received by those who cherry pick in this column. Suggesting Foden is the 'better player' would sound like a criticism of Bellingham. This is far from true. You can prefer the songs of John Lennon to those of Paul McCartney and still admire the genius of both.
Foden and Bellingham are different profiles of footballers, but there are aspects of the City player's game that set him apart from anything else in England . ever happened.
Bellingham follows in the tradition of complete, well-rounded linebackers. From a tactical point of view, he is Southgate's dream player to take part in this summer's tournament. He excelled in number 10 for Real Madrid, looked sensational when wearing number 8 for Borussia Dortmund and later in his career you could see him wearing number 6.
Bellingham has a swagger and confidence that has stood out since his England debut. Bellingham doesn't just take the stage. He owns it. Whether he was at Wembley or the Bernabeu, his demeanor was always: “Look at me.” I'm here and I'm going to dominate.”
As for Foden, I'm not sure England have ever had a similar style of player at his level. Foden has more in common with the typical Spanish or Portuguese players, his technique sets him apart.
The highest praise I can give is every time I watch Foden and see that first touch, control and balletic movement in tight spaces. , the first players that come to mind are Zinedine Zidane and Andres Iniesta.
Simply brilliant from Phil Foden 💫
The goal that put Manchester City on the path to the title 🏆 pic.twitter.com/eojtSBJf8I
— Premier league (@premierleague) May 22, 2024
Foden has the same talent for running with the ball as if he were slaloming, his boots attracting the ball like a magnet.
We don't see Foden in the same way as Bellingham because we saw him grow up at City, debuting as a slightly shy 17-year-old alongside huge personalities in a team filled with world-class talent. His role has evolved from year to year to the extent that he is now on the cusp of replacing Kevin De Bruyne as City's creative center and most exciting player.
As is often the case with locally-born players emerging through the ranks, the scale of this achievement can be taken for granted. It may be much more difficult for academy graduates to achieve the heights that Foden achieved at his boyhood club. Firstly, there is the obvious problem of getting into the starting XI of an expensive squad where the manager can always buy a ready-made player rather than wait patiently for a youth product. Once in the team, local talent will never receive the same fanfare as a big-money summer contract presented against the backdrop of flashy advertising.
Once it's created, it's not better to be one thing more than the other – fans like to see the superiority of 'one' – it's just that perceptions can change as players change clubs and produce goods. Cole Palmer's brilliant success at Chelsea is a good example. Many believed Palmer should have won the PFA and FWA Player of the Year rather than Foden. Look how difficult it was for a good player like Palmer to get into the City team. It was the right move for him and he deserves all the praise, but in many ways it makes Foden's success even more impressive.
Cole Palmer had to move to Chelsea to play regular football for the first team. Photo: Getty Images/Darren Walsh
Foden will probably spend all his best years at City, where – like the rest of us – they will always remember the young boy who became a superstar, rather than see him as the new hero who proved himself worthy of a huge fee.There's also a lot to like about Foden's personality. Watching the opposing team, you may not like the most prominent personalities. A bit like Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, it's impossible not to like Foden. He is a low maintenance footballer who loves the game and never gets involved in any nonsense on or off the field. You never notice any entourage or PR team around him feel the need to boost their authority when things are going well, or hear him complain about any criticism on the rare occasions when he has a bad game for his club or he is not a guaranteed choice. his country. Foden was not selected for the Champions League final last year. This is a serious blow for any player. Watch his reactions this season and you'll get the character you're looking for.
In football it's a bit of a cliché to “talk the talk on the pitch”. There is so much chatter around some players that you need headphones to drown out the noise. Foden's career so far has been pure footballing pleasure.
Pep Guardiola's faith in Foden has been rewarded. Photo: Getty Images/Robbie Jay Barratt
The dilemma for Southgate is how to get the best out of him and Bellingham at the same time, to avoid repeating the Steven Gerrard-Frank Lampard debate.
A midfield trio of Foden, Bellingham and Declan Rice sounds very ambitious, but it could work, especially if Southgate uses a hybrid full-back moving centrally, as most top teams currently do. You don't tell me England's group opponents need two holding midfielders. Bellingham has the physical strength to help Rice when needed and make it easier for Foden to play inside. On the other hand, Foden playing on the left and moving inside is no different from his role at City with De Bruyne. The problem is that England do not have a natural left-back who can move up and down the pitch if Luke Shaw is unavailable.
Whatever the balance of power, the selection of Foden and Bellingham should never have been viewed as a 'problem'. With two of the best players of this (or any) England generation, the focus must be on how exciting the search for a solution will be.
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