Phil Foden: When England ace was put forward by Man City stars to face champion freestyler

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By Rob Swan

Published Nov 28, 2022

Phil Foden was once put forward by Manchester City players to face a champion freestyler

Many England fans are crying out for Phil Foden to start following Friday’s 0-0 draw against the United States.

Foden, arguably the most technically gifted footballer in the England squad, was an unused substitute in the Three Lions’ second game of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

The 22-year-old was also named among the substitutes for England’s opener against Iran, coming on for the final 20 minutes in place of Mason Mount.

England’s all-time record goalscorer Wayne Rooney is one of many who have called for Gareth Southgate to find room for Foden in his starting XI to face Wales on Tuesday night.

The DC United boss said: “I think if you have a talent like Foden, you simply have to play him.”

It’s fair to assume that Man City boss Pep Guardiola will be in complete agreement with Rooney.

Guardiola has allowed Foden to become a first-team regular at the Etihad Stadium and once described the Englishman as “the most, most, most talented player I have ever seen in my career as a manager”.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - JANUARY 06: Pep Guardiola, Manager of Manchester City celebrates with Phil Foden of Manchester City after the final whistle during the Carabao Cup Semi Final match between Manchester United and Manchester City at Old Trafford on January 06, 2021 in Manchester, England. The match will be played without fans, behind closed doors as a Covid-19 precaution. (Photo by Peter Powell - Pool/Getty Images)

Foden vs Football Freestyler

The revered Catalan coach made those comments about Foden in 2019, a year after the young City starlet was put forward by his teammates to go head-to-head against a freestyle champion.

A report in The Telegraph claimed: “A reflection of the esteem with which Foden is held came towards the end of last season when a champion freestyler was invited to City to show off his tricks and challenge a first-team player to a battle.

“The squad wasted no time volunteering Foden to go up against him and then watched their team-mate crush his humbled opponent 3-0 with a dazzling repertoire of skills amid plenty of whooping, backslapping and knowing nods and laughs from the assembled crowd.”

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Footage of Foden embarrassing a freestyler emerged around the same time.

It showed a lad called Jamie Shawyer beating Leroy Sane, who left Man City for Bayern Munich in 2020, in a game of two-touch before taking on Foden.

Aged 18 at the time, Foden wiped the floor with the football trickster, registering a 3-0 victory over his opponent.

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - MAY 06: Kevin De Bruyne of Manchester City and Phil Foden of Manchester City celebrate winning the premier league after the Premier League match between Manchester City and Huddersfield Town at Etihad Stadium on May 6, 2018 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)