Foden: I’ve already won a World Cup!
...AND THE FORWARD ISN’T AFRAID TO LET HIS ENGLAND TEAM-MATES KNOW
PHIL Foden will remind his team-mates of what it takes to win a World Cup, having inspired England to win the under-17 World Cup in 2017.
The Manchester City forward and Conor Gallagher are the only members of Steve Cooper’s 2017 squad that lifted the trophy in India to have been selected for Qatar.
So Foden says he will take the lessons he learned from that transformative triumph to help England this month.
That under-17 squad made national headlines with their World Cup win five years ago, with the now 22-year-old becoming a key member of Pep Guardiola’s squad at City in the meantime, as well as breaking into the Three Lions senior picture.
Now, he’s looking for the biggest trophy of them all to add to his growing collection.
“I don’t think they realise, so I’m going to have to tell them that I’ve already won the World Cup, aren’t I?” Foden said of his team-mates.
“Back then it was something we weren’t used to, playing on such a big stage. And it changed some of our lives forever, with how much we got talked about in the media.
“It’s all about gaining experience for when it comes into big games like this, you know how to handle situations. It’s all just about learning and taking it into mens’ football.”
So what can England’s senior players take from the two more junior members of the squad in Qatar?
Foden continued: “I do remember strongly in 2017 the team just being so confident. We were not being bigheaded, but we just knew we were going to win the World Cup because of how good we were and the talent we had.
“It was so good just to be a part of that group. It was very special and it’s the same here. Definitely.
“Obviously from the last Euros, making it to the final gives the team a big lift. I think Harry [Kane] has already touched on it. He sees us as one of the favourites. We’ve just got to be confident and believe in that.”
Meanwhilem, Declan Rice has revealed he got goosebumps as England boss Gareth Southgate spoke to his squad before they jetted out for the World Cup. The West Ham midfielder said: “From the moment we got to St George’s Park, that’s when it hit me that we are going to a World Cup.
“Because of the Premier League, there’s not been that chance to switch our mindset...when Gareth spoke, it was goosebumps stuff.
“This is a World Cup we’re going to, what a privilege. To finally be here is so special.”
Rice is keen for the action to get under way so he can truly appreciate playing in a World Cup and has been trying to take stock of the achievement.
“It’s hard to find the words, I can’t explain it,” he said. “There’s less than 250 people that have represented England at a World Cup and I’m one of them. It’s hard to explain what it actually means.
“When you play the games and you are on the pitch, that’s when I think I’ll be able to speak about it. It’s all a bit of a blur at the minute.
“Honestly, if you sat down with every player I think they’d say the same thing, you never know how far you can go in football.
“If you believe and push yourself then anything is possible and now we are on the biggest stage.”
James Maddison was the only England player not to train yesterday. The Leicester midfielder limped out of their weekend win over West Ham, and sat out the session as a precaution.