Phil Foden has been one of the most consistent youngsters at Manchester City and the entire Premier League during the 2020-2021 season despite being just 20-year-old.
The English youngster who is mostly used as a left-winger is a product of Manchester City football academy and got his break into the club’s senior team in July 2017 under coach Pep Guardiola.
Despite how promising he was then, the Spanish tactician rarely used him in important games. Due to that, the media and some critics of Pep Guardiola began to pressure him to leave Manchester City for a club where he could play more games.
Phil Foden decided to wait patiently for his chance to win the heart of the Spanish tactician who made his name at FC Barcelona where he led the Spanish club to win two UEFA Champions League before he left to coach Bayern Munich, and then Man City.
The patience of Foden under Guardiola started paying off during the 2019-2020 season where he was able to make 38 appearances in all competition scoring 8 goals and providing 9 assists.
His performance in that season earned him his first call-up to the England national team on September 5, 2020. Since then, he has made 6 appearances and has scored 2 goals for England.
In the 2020-2021 season, Phil Foden’s patience paid off even more as he was able to establish himself in Pep Guardiola‘s squad. The England international has been enjoying his game at City so much that he was able to make 49 appearances in all competitions in which he scored 16 goals and provided 10 assists.
At the end of the season, Foden won his second Premier League title and a Carabao Cup. He is on the verge of winning the UEFA Champions League. He will achieve such a huge feat a day after his 21-year-old birthday if Manchester City can beat Chelsea on May 29.
No better feeling!! Champions! 🏆 Living my dream and grateful for every moment 💙 pic.twitter.com/0R252UP6nS
— Phil Foden (@PhilFoden) May 23, 2021
“There weren’t many young kids at my age playing in a team like this,” said Foden.
“A lot of people were complaining about the minutes and things but, with the team that we have here and how many quality players we had at the time, it was very difficult to get in.
“I just kept believing in myself and trusting the manager. This year has been really good for me, playing more minutes. I would definitely say it has paid off.”
Phil Foden went on to reveal that he has never imagined that he could ever play under a coach like Pep Guardiola, a coach he said he has been admiring since he was a kid.
The England international described the Spanish tactician as one of the best coaches in the world and noted that the coach’s style suits him perfectly.
“Everyone knows he’s one of the best coaches to ever be out there,” Foden said.
“So, just to play under him is very special. He just loves playing out from the back and playing beautiful football.
“It suits my style a lot and I’m just happy to keep working with him and keep improving.
“When I used to watch Barcelona as a kid, it was unbelievable – the way he set them up and how they played one-touch and two-touch football was unbelievable.
“I never would have thought that he would be my coach someday. I feel very lucky.
“I just remember growing up and they dominated football for years, winning everything. I just remember always watching it with my dad and thinking: ‘Wow! What a team this is and what a coach they have!’
“He has tried to bring that kind of football here and it seems to be working. They played a big part in my career, watching them when I was younger, and it helps as well now that the manager’s here.”
