Foden’s dream is pairfect
ENGLAND dreamer Phil Foden has set his sights on becoming a double World Cup winner.
Few stars get to land the biggest prize of all once in their careers – let alone twice. But Foden has the chance to do just that at the ripe old age of 22.
The Manchester City ace reckons the feeling in the Three Lions camp reminds him of the one he felt when inspiring the Under-17s to World Cup glory in India back in 2017 (above).
But he admits some of his senior team-mates cannot remember there is a
from JEREMY CROSS in Doha
MOST people would love nothing more than to be compared to the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
To be hailed good enough to succeed the duo as one of the next icons of world football.
But not Phil Foden.
In fact, the England and Manchester City superstar is almost embarrassed to be mentioned in the same breath as the game’s biggest superstars heading into the upcoming World Cup in Qatar.
He might have to get used to being one of the billboard stars in Doha, considering how considerable his footballing gifts are.
And Foden admits he has what it takes to go on and emulate the greats of the game.
But in an act of marvellous if misguided modesty rarely seen in footballers, Foden has told the plaudits to stop calling him ‘world class’ – because he has done nothing on the biggest stage of all so far.
Foden, speaking from England’s AlWakrah training base, said: “No, definitely not. The people you’ve just mentioned (Messi, Ronaldo and Kylian Mbappe) are way above me at the moment.
“I’d like to think I could be there one day. It’s all about taking small steps in the right direction.
“I just want to take my club form into the national team. With my club form this year, I’ve been scoring a lot of goals and I want to bring that to the national team.”
So you wouldn’t describe yourself as world class then?
“Definitely not,” said Foden. “I’ve got to score in big games and big finals to be world class. I know I’m capable of doing that, so it’s something I strive for and look forward to.”
Foden has a point, considering he has not kicked a ball at a World Cup before.
And his memories of being involved with England’s march to the Euro 2021 final remain mixed, having failed to score during the tournament before getting himself injured for the showpiece game against Italy at Wembley.
The 22-year-old said: “It was really difficult. Probably one of the biggest games of my life, so to sit out of it with injury was difficult.
“It was literally nothing, just doing a bit of long passing after training and I decided to take some kind of touch and I just felt something in my foot. I couldn’t walk.
“It is strange how things happen sometimes. It was quite bad actually. They said to me it was an injury you don’t see very often. It was quite a strange one.”
Foden is keen to make amends and while he does not think he is like Messi (below), he is convinced he should be wearing the same No.10 as the Argentine genius.
He said: “I see myself playing behind the striker in the future, or one of the No.8s or No.10s at City. Sometime hopefully in the future I can play there more and show more of my game. “We’ve got some great players in this England team, though.
“Players who can receive it in the pocket on the half-turn and can make the killer pass or shoot from distance.
“I like to look at those players and hopefully one day I can definitely play in that role as well.”