FODEN CAN PHIL BIG BOOTS!

BY NEIL MCLEMAN

BRENTFORD boss Thomas Frank claims Phil Foden can follow Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and win the Ballon D’OR.

The Manchester City star (right) scored a hat-trick against the struggling West London club earlier this month – and has netted five in five games against the Bees.

Speaking ahead of tonight’s game, which has been rescheduled from December when City were in the Club World Cup, Frank said: “For me, he is the closest I think England have to potentially getting a Ballon D’OR winner in the future.

“He has got that potential, that level. He can influence the game in so many ways. In the last game, he got on the end of three situations and scored three.

“He is a very good dribbler, he can slide people in, he works very hard. He seems to have a good mentality – I don’t know him personally – but looks from the outside to have a very good mentality in terms of working hard. So he is very good.

“He has got a very big potential. I will not try to be too clever about what he needs to develop but he is really impressive. When I watch him play, I like him as a player. But I hope he plays very badly in this match!”

Only four Englishman have claimed the France Football award recognised as the highest individual prize in the game. Stanley Matthews (1956) was followed by Bobby Charlton (1966), Kevin Keegan (1978 and 1979) and Michael Owen (2001).

Northern Ireland’s George Best won in 1968 while Kenny Dalglish (1983), Gary Lineker (1986), David Beckham (1999) and Frank Lampard (2005) all finished runner-up.

Messi won his record eighth Ballon D’OR last year after leading Argentina to World Cup glory.

MAN CITY:

Ederson, Walker, Stones, Akanji, Ake, De Bruyne, Rodri, Foden, Alvarez,

Haaland, Silva BRENTFORD: Flekken, Collins, Ajer, Mee, Roerslev, Jensen, Noorgaard, Janelt, Reguilon, Maupay, Toney REFEREE: Darren

England