Lewis is Phil-ing his boots
Scotland Under-21 ace Lewis Fiorini admits Manchester City and new England star Phil Foden is a massive inspiration.
The midf ielder has come through the Manchester City academy a couple of years behind Foden.
Fiorini has since gone on loan to NAC Breda but wants to help Scot Gemmill’s boys in their European Championship qualifier in Lithuania on Tuesday before looking to make his mark in Holland’s second tier.
Fiorini said: “I’ve known about Phil since I was about eight so I’ve watched him grow from being just a little boy and his rise from the Under-18s right to the first team.
“Obviously, now he’s made the England team so he’s made big steps. He’s the perfect example for us all and he is an inspiration for the rest of us at City.”
Fiorini, 18, has made his mark at City as one of a select band of top talents invited to train with Pep Guardiola’s galaxy of stars,
He said: “I was lucky enough to be one of five youngsters who trained with the first team.
“They have 20 to 25 world-class players in that squad so you have got to be at it every day. You can’t take one day off.”
The young Scot knows it was a money- can’t- buy experience being on the same pitch as the likes of Kevin de Bruyne and the rest of City’s top performers.
He said: “It’s difficult to get the ball off him! You think you have him then he just plucks a 40-yard pass out of nowhere.
“He’s unbelievable. I watch what he does and how he plays. I try to bring parts of his game into mine.
“You do gravitate towards the home-based lads and the boys who have come up from the academy l ike Phi l, Kyle Walker, Scott Carson and the likes.
“But even the more experienced ones like Fernandinho and David Silva, before he left, helped me and gave me bits of information.”
The playmaker has already played for Scotland at Under-19 level and admitted it means so much to him.
Fiorini said: “My dad’s mum is how I qualify but I never met her because she passed away when I was young.
“But playing for Scotland means just as much to me even though I’ve not got that connection.
“It doesn’t take anything away from it when I pull the shirt on. It makes me and my dad so proud.”