PHIL FODEN
(20, Manchester City)
Aproduct of the Manchester City academy, Phil Foden is just getting better with age. The 20yearold has positioned himself as one of the most versatile midfielders in the Premier League and recently picked up his third domestic crown with the club. Foden, who holds the Guinness record for being the youngest player to win the Premier League, has enjoyed a lot more game time and has been particularly vital for Pep Guardiola’s side this season, starting in over 30 games and playing in 48 across competitions.
Foden has 16 goals and 10 assists so far and two trophies this campaign — the Premier League and EFL Cup — and a key role in City’s bid for a maiden Champions League title.
Operating on the left ank, “Stockport Iniesta,” as he is fondly known, does really well to create space for himself and open up a channel for a pass. His spatial awareness and ball distribution have made him a prized possession in the starstudded City lineup. Guardiola, who is said to be grooming Foden for a more creative No. 10 role, often stresses how crucial he is to the team. “This guy is growing. His influence in our games is massive. Phil right now is becoming such an important player. His influence in the nal third is so important,” Guardiola said in April after Foden scored in a 21 win over Aston Villa.
Dutch legend Ruud Gullit has been so impressed by Foden’s recent performances that he put him in the same bracket as Lionel Messi. “In the past only the big, strong, quick players were the ones always selected by the English teams, but now I think smaller, agile and more technical players are trusted more. City has given Foden his chance and he has shown he is unbelievable, that he is in the same category as Lionel Messi. He is not exactly like Messi as a player — no one is — but with his stature, his height, his quickness — he is the same. He is a wonderful player and I’ve loved watching him,” Gullit said, voting for Foden as the PFA’S men’s player of the year for 202021.
Having also broken into the England senior team last year, Foden — who won the Golden Ball when the Three Lions won the FIFA Under17 World Cup in 2017 — will be keen to impress at the Euro Championships this year.