The incredible rise of English Wunderkind, Phil Foden

Phil Foden is a name every football fan will know, and if you’re not a Man City fan, will be wary of. He has risen through the now prestigious City Academy ranks to become a key member in Pep Guardiola’s all-conquering side, but how did he do it?

Foden was born in Stockport in 2000, and it took just four years for his talent to be recognised by Manchester City, who scouted him for their academy before he turned five.

During his youth career, he was seen as the next big thing for the Cityzens, with Steve Williams, coach of Foden’s youth side, Reddish Vulcans, calling him, “the natural successor to David Silva.” Quite the claim.

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Foden was just 16 when he first appeared in a Manchester City squad, watching from the bench as City were held to a draw against Celtic in 2016, per the BBC.

The 2017 U17 World Cup saw an England side packed with future Premier League players, from Connor Gallagher to Emile Smith Rowe, and a host of other names too, including the much-hyped Phil Foden and Jadon Sancho, both from the Manchester City Academy.

Following a dominant 5-2 victory in the final against Spain, one name stood amongst the rest, with Phil Foden emerging as the Golden Ball winner. Foden scored twice in the final, per FIFA, and was singled out by ESPN as the main reason behind England’s win.

Despite some appearances on the bench, Foden was yet to make his full City debut, but Pep Guardiola was already convinced of his talent, saying, “I don’t have words. I would like to have the right words to describe what I saw,” following a 2017 preseason game against Manchester United.

Foden’s rise continued throughout 2017 as he made his full debut during a Champions League matchup against Feyenoord. Per the BBC, Foden was the fourth-youngest Englishman to have ever appeared in the Champions League, aged just 17 years 177 days.

Foden’s first start was to follow soon after, against Shakhtar Donetsk in early December 2017, before making his Premier League debut just days later.

With Foden’s talent obvious from day one, many fans and media members were desperate to see him play more, some even suggesting he needed a loan spell. As Planet Football writes, however, “Foden kept his resolve and Guardiola had a plan.”

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Foden’s appearances increased steadily during his early years at City, playing just 43 Premier League minutes in 17/18, 327 in 18/19, and 892 in 19/20, per Transfermarkt.

City had the luxury of not rushing Foden into their Premier League side, given the incredible talent available to them. As Planet Football writes, “Foden mostly had his first chances in the domestic cups,” he is not the first player to have been blooded in the less prestigious FA and Carabao (league) Cups, but his usage showed a clear and thoughtful development plan.

Foden’s true breakthrough came during the 2020/21 season. His Premier League minutes nearly doubled from 892 to 1,612 and his output improved too, scoring nine and assisting five as he helped City win yet another Premier League title.

England has had no shortage of attacking talent in recent years, with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Jack Grealish, Marcus Rashford, and Harry Kane all performing well on the international stage. So it is no mean feat to break into the England squad, but that is exactly what Foden did on 25th August 2020, per the BBC.

Foden emerged over the next couple of years as a key member of the England squad, starting four of the five games England played, including their heart-breaking 2-1 loss to France in the quarter-final, per Transfermarkt.

Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City side has been the dominant force in English football for quite some time, but it was only during the 2022/23 season that they were able to get over the proverbial Champions League hump. Foden didn’t start the game but came on as a 36th-minute substitute as City ran out 1–0 winners over Inter Milan to complete their Treble.

Foden now has a chance to add to his already impressive trophy cabinet over the summer as England looks to win their first major international tournament since 1966. Do you think they have a chance?

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