Phil Foden has never done it for England and looks like he never will

Jack Otway
Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:28:56 +0000

When it comes to standout English players of the past 10 years, Phil Foden ranks up there with the very best.

Having become a household name ever since being unleashed by Manchester City in the 2017/18 season, the 25-year-old has established himself as one of the best players, and biggest serial winners, of his generation.

There has been six Premier League titles, five League Cups and one Champions League trophy so far.

His club career has seen him make 360 appearances, with 110 goals to show for his efforts.

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When it comes to the international stage, however, Foden remains a curious case. Six years on from his debut, he's now facing a fight to make Thomas Tuchel's squad for this summer's World Cup. Based on last night's torrid performance against Japan, he currently looks likely to be watching on from home.

Foden was deployed as a false nine up top in the absence of Harry Kane, who was rested as a precaution. The stats paint a grim painting of his evening, however, with the City star flat as his side crashed to defeat.

The 25-year-old didn't register a single shot on goal and, five minutes into the second half, had fewers touches of the ball than any of his teammates - including goalkeeper Jordan Pickford.

After 59 minutes, Tuchel had seen enough. Foden's night ended and England, ultimately, slumped to defeat.

There's no shortage of attacking talent in the England squad. They have A-listers across the frontline. Foden should be among them but, instead, fans are still waiting for his international career to really ignite.

A primary issue for the talented City legend's international shortcomings has been positional.

At City, Foden operates in a fluid, meticulously structured system that caters to his quick-passing, space-invading style.

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For England, he has perpetually been the victim of his own versatility - and the presence of others.

Because the No 10 role has frequently been occupied by Jude Bellingham or tailored to fit the likes of Cole Palmer, Foden has routinely been shunted out to the left wing.

One such example as at the World Cup in 2022. Journalists behind the scenes were left astonished that Gareth Southgate, when he did play Foden, would opt against a central berth.

Out wide, without an overlapping full-back to create space, he often cuts inside into heavily congested traffic, stifling his creative output in the process.

There is also an undeniable mental hurdle.

When given the keys to the castle, like the No 10 role against Uruguay or the false nine role against Japan, he seems to press too hard, forcing passes and abandoning the natural rhythm that makes him so devastating at club level.

Southgate and Tuchel have desperately tried to unlock the 'Manchester City Foden' on the international stage.

Yet it still hasn't clicked.

What worsens things for Foden is that England's creative engine room has reached a fever pitch.

Bellingham and Rogers are near-certainties to make the plane, even if the former's relationship with Tuchel has been rocky at times.

Likewise Palmer, who can also play out wide.

And the depth is equally suffocating in that position, further limiting Foden's chances.

Bukayo Saka owns the right wing spot, while the blistering pace of Anthony Gordon and a rejuvenated Marcus Rashford also give Tuchel some attacking flair.

As time ticks down to the 2026 World Cup, the fear is no longer that Foden is being misused, it is that he might just be running out of chances altogether.

With just one goal and two assists from 14 England matches at major competitions so far, and four goals in total, he's not done enough to warrant a place for this summer's showpiece event.