ENGLAND’S UNLIKELY ALLIES
City’s Foden and United’s Greenwood should be fierce rivals — but are actually best of mates
Leaving De graafschap’s flatpack stadium, De vijverberg, spectators last november could be heard pondering whether they had just witnessed england’s future in one passage of play.
The Under 21s had rather cruelly lost 2- 1 against a very smart Holland side, the winner coming deep into stoppage time, but england’s goal offered more than a glimpse of what should be on the horizon at senior level over the next decade.
Phil Foden was just inside the centre circle, took a touch, had a look, although he need not have. Foden knew where Mason greenwood was, loitering on the last man. The 60-yard quarterback pass was perfect, an agonising flight for a defender. greenwood muscled in, sweeping home an equaliser — his first goal at that level. Maybe his last, too.
There lay the skillset england must now harness: vision, artistry, pace, nous and telepathy. The last of those feels particularly relevant given the pair had not played together before that season and surely serves as a source of optimism for gareth Southgate, who handed the pair their first senior call-ups for this squad.
Foden is 15 months older, at 20, and his path and greenwood’s crossed occasionally in academy football. Manchester City’s diminutive midfielder knew all about Manchester United’s lightning and deadly finisher and vice-versa.
They were room- mates in an Under 21 squad dominated inated by southern clubs and they immediately clicked. Foden oden took on big brother er responsibilities — a role le very new to a young g man beginning to come out of his shell.
‘Phil was one of the youngest at the (2018) euros; he’s been in my position and that really does help me,’ greenwood said a few days before that moment in Holland. Before climbing ing on to the team bus after beating albania in a qualifier last november, Foden hung around waiting for his mate to check that he had coped with a first newspaper interview.
They have been inseparable when away with england, from going for pancakes at a quaint Dutch café, Pension d’Oude
Herberg, to wanting to take bikes out into the countryside, to messing about on an F1 simulator game in the team hotel. During a team walk, Foden also pointed out fish darting around the Drava River in Slovenia that he wouldn’t mind catching.
These two are the sort who need shepherding off the grass when training sessions are complete. Relationships are integral at
international level and england england haveh not always enjoyed strong bonds in previous teams.
ability takes precedence, but the Football association have taken note of a blossoming friendship from two supremely talented lads from rival clubs.
Their emergence might not happen in iceland or Denmark, england’s nations League rivals over the next few days. But there is a confidence that in the not-too-distant future, the names greenwood and Foden will line up proudly in a Three Lions starting Xi.
The debut call-ups are deserved, 18-year-old greenwood hitting 18 club goals in 26 starts during a staggering first full season, scoring off both feet with brute force, deftness and pace to burn. His rise has made United’s pursuit of Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho feel not quite so urgent.
Four miles away, the Project Restart form of Foden, who Pep guardiola has carefully managed, has been described by City sources as ‘unbelievable’. There is a feeling that his omission for the shock Champions League defeat by Lyon was to hold him back for a possible semi-final with Bayern Munich or Barcelona.
We will never know that for sure but Foden’s energy unquestionably lifts City, whose sports science department believe he could be the best high-intensity runner in the Premier League.
That was certainly evident towards the end of an Fa Cup quarter-final at newcastle in June.
With City two up and cruising, Foden hared across St James’ Park to scoop a wayward ball off the touchline. it was the sort of desire and speed that would not be expected of any player with the game already won. These small details are the kind of things that will catch the eye of Southgate.
Foden took the call from england’s manager a few hours before last Tuesday’s squad announcement, answering the phone while sat on the beach in Mykonos during a family holiday.
He flew home 24 hours later before a short, two-day fishing trip to clear his mind.
now Foden and greenwood embark on a grand expedition together.