FROM BIG FAN TO LEADING MAN , FODEN CAN DO IT LIKE HARRY
City kid watched England in the World Cup and plans to star in it in 2022 ...like Maguire did after Euro 2016
PHIL FODEN wants to do a Harry Maguire with England and make it to the next World Cup.
Maguire (below) went from going to
watch the Three Lions at Euro 2016 with his mates (below, right) to starring for the team in Russia.
Foden was at the Volvograd Arena for England’s opening win against Tunisia with some of his Under-17 World Cup-winning team-mates and says the experience makes him determined to go to Qatar.
The Manchester City player will be 22 by the autumn of 2022 when the tournament will be held and by then may have blossomed into the
No.10 England are looking for.
“I was there for a week,” he said. “I watched the first game and it was good.
“Hopefully that could be me in four years’ time. It was important to get that feel and experience, definitely. It all gives me confidence when I read people saying I could go to the next World Cup.
“I’m going to push for it and hopefully I can play more minutes and be there.” Foden, 18, says the experience of winning the Under-17 World Cup in India, when he was named the player of the tournament, has helped his development.
“It was a great experience,” he said. “If you do go to a World Cup, you’ll be ready for it. You’ll know what to do.”
City boss Pep Guardiola gave Foden his senior debut against Feyenoord at the age of 17 years and 177 days when he returned from the tournament in November and the City nut from Stockport ended his debut season with Premier League and Carabao Cup winners’ medals.
Foden, who idolised David Silva as a boy, revealed he was also part of City’s first Premier League title win in 2012 when he was a ballboy at the Etihad.
“I remember being at the Manchester United game that season when City won the league,” he said. “It was a really important game and Vinny [Kompany] got the header. It was just a mad atmosphere.
“I was sitting at the opposite end to where Vinny scored, behind the other goal. I’ve had a few instances like that where I’ve fallen over the hoardings trying to jump over them.”
Foden hopes to build on the 10 appearances he made last term and is conscious he still has much to learn.
He is doing extra gym sessions to bulk up and told how Guardiola is always offering advice.
“He tells me I’m young and I’m still learning,” he said. “It’s great that he believes in me.
“I want to try to follow the senior players, learn off them and try to get as many minutes as I can. It’s about learning at the moment because I’m so young.”