Phil Foden headed to England’s last major tournament at Euro 2024 as the best player in the Premier League and behind only Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Alexander Isak in the goalscoring charts. Two years later, he’s struggling for games at Manchester City — never mind a goal — and was fortunate to be named in the England squad for friendlies against Uruguay and Japan.
Given a chance to impress against Uruguay on Friday, Foden spent most of his 56 minutes on the pitch on the fringes of a slow, turgid game. He looked pained as he came off — partly because of the reckless challenge from Ronald Araújo that left him in a heap on the floor, but also, perhaps, because of a feeling that the World Cup is slipping away from him.
The bottom line is that, three months out, Foden’s place at this summer’s tournament is under serious threat.
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It says everything about how Foden’s campaign has gone that in three big games for City this month — two against Real Madrid and the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal — he was on the pitch for a total of one minute. His late appearance from the bench against Arsenal when the game was already won was branded a “charity sub” by former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney.
“[Foden] will be pleased they won the cup but from a selfish point of view, he would have wanted to be out there and having an influence. That will be a tough one for him,” said the former England striker.
There was a spell in November and December when Foden scored eight goals in nine games and looked like he might be returning to the type of form that saw him named PFA and Premier League player of the year in 2023-24. He put his disappointing 2024-25 campaign down to a troublesome ankle injury and “things going on off the pitch mentally,” though it’s less clear why this season has been so stop-start.
Speaking at the FIFA Club World Cup last summer, Foden said he had his “hunger” back and that the season ahead would be a “new start, new me.” He’s shown flashes of his old form — including a goal against Man United in September and a 90th-minute winner against Leeds United in November — but there has been little in the way of consistency.
Sometimes asked to play in a deeper role this season, Foden’s ability to impact games with goals and assists has been affected. Rayan Cherki’s form has also been a factor. But asked to discuss Foden this season, Guardiola has often returned to a familiar theme.
When he’s happy and relaxed, according to the City boss, everything else falls into place. If you read between the lines, the suggestion from Guardiola is that it’s not always the case.
“I have zero, zero, zero doubts about Phil,” Guardiola said in February. “It’s not 20 centuries ago when he was the best player in the Premier League, it was around the corner. It wasn’t many seasons ago. This is Phil Foden. Just be relaxed in his mind, the joy, the smile and happiness, and play, play, play.”
Guardiola has seen hints that Foden’s love of football — which was absent at times last season — has come back. After a difficult 1-1 draw with Arsenal at the Emirates in September, he allowed the squad to self-assess their physical condition and asked for volunteers to play in a League Cup tie against Huddersfield three days later. Foden put his hand up.
But since being substituted at half-time during the 2-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford in January, he’s started just two Premier League games. In the XI for Nottingham Forest’s visit to the Etihad earlier this month, he was caught in the middle of the one-two passing move that allowed Elliot Anderson to score the equaliser in a 2-2 draw, a result that severely dented City’s title hopes.
Speaking after his bit-part role during the Carabao Cup final, he insists he’s remaining positive.
“Football sometimes is not straightforward,” said Foden. “There are ups and downs, and sometimes you can’t be the best version of yourself and that’s the way it is. It’s just about how you pick yourself back up.
“I’m still keeping my head down, trying to train as well as I can every day, and hopefully I come back after the internationals a lot sharper. Hopefully I can get more minutes and be back to where I was at the start of the season.”
Foden has bounced back before. He was out of the team during the run-in of City’s treble season, and didn’t start either the final of the Champions League or the FA Cup. He recovered from the disappointment and the following season was the best of his career.
It might need a similar comeback to earn a seat on the plane to the World Cup. Thomas Tuchel is blessed with a number of options to fill the No.10 role with Foden battling against Jude Bellingham, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze and Palmer. Foden could possibly play in one of the wide positions, but he struggled there during Euro 2024 and Tuchel seemingly prefers more natural wingers like Bukayo Saka, Anthony Gordon or Marcus Rashford anyway.
Tuchel is fond of telling players exactly who they’re competing against. And if it’s Foden versus Palmer for the last No.10 position, then it was the Chelsea man who won the night against Uruguay. On for Foden in the second half, Palmer created a golden chance for Dominic Calvert-Lewin and created Ben White’s goal from a corner.
Tuchel will run more auditions against Japan on Wednesday, but with Bellingham and Rogers returning to the squad, the competition has only increased. When it comes to Foden, time is running out.
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