Phil Foden admits England frustration and makes clear his best position for Three Lions
Phil Foden had the best view in Gelsenkirchen of Jude Bellingham’s magical rescue act against Slovakia, and the Manchester City star admits he was already thinking about duties back at home
Phil Foden admitted he feared the worst before Jude Bellingham saved England from a Euros disaster.
Manchester City star Foden has already been back home once in this tournament and did not want to fly back to England again. Foden had a grandstand view of Bellingham’s spectacular 95th minute equaliser against Slovakia as he had just been substituted and was walking round the edge of the pitch.
“I thought I’m 30 seconds away from doing baby feeds at home… so thanks to Jude for that, thanks for doing it, saved me there,” laughed Foden. “No, honestly, it’s unbelievable, what he did, yeah, just sums Jude up, he never gives up until the end.”
Foden, 24, went on a whistle-stop return home last week when his partner Rebecca Cooke gave birth to their third child but is not ready to give up on his Euros adventure just yet.
The England forward explained that the birth was pre-planned, in the diary and he was full of praise for Gareth Southgate accommodating his wish to be back for the birth of their son. They have a name but Foden did not want to reveal it publicly yet.
But Foden also has a sense of unfinished business at this Euros. There have been flashes of his brilliance but getting the best out of him, Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham together as an attacking force has been a struggle.
Foden said: “I don’t know for the others you have mentioned but I have been a little frustrated. I am not going to lie. I want to try and score, do better things for England and like I said it has not worked out but it is about keeping a good mentality.
Phil Foden was subbed seconds before Jude Bellingham’s miraculous equaliser (
Image:
ITV Sport)
“I have not been the best player in the Premier League to come here and not show it. I feel like every game I am moving forward and hopefully I can put on some good performances and that has always been my aim for England.
“I think I have shown this season for City that I have moved more centrally and the goals have gone up and I have influenced more games so, I have always said I have been honest about my position and I have always seen myself as playing midfield.
“I feel like even though I have started on the left, I have drifted into those positions. It is more how we have been on the ball and not been able to find me because of the way the games have been.”
And the accusation that he and Bellingham cannot play together? “No I don’t agree with that, I feel like we do work well together. I keep saying it but it is true, just the way the games have gone sometimes and the way football works,” said Foden.
Foden insists he and Jude Bellingham can thrive in the same side
“In the last game we did build on it really well in terms of keeping the ball a lot more, we piled pressure on at the end and I feel like hopefully it can click together in the next game.”
Foden did stress that the manner of the win over Slovakia – snatching glory from the jaws of defeat – could have a galvanising effect. He also says the tournament is still wide open for a team like England to go and win.
He added: “Yeah, the way we won the Slovakia game, it’s helped us in a way, I feel like it’s given us so much more belief now, going into the next games, to win it in the way we did, a lot of emotions.
“We have to remain focused now, and go into the next game, and just try and build on it because we know we can do a lot better than we’ve done so it’s all about growing and being better.
“It’s just the quality of teams, I feel like every year, everyone gets stronger, I look around now at every team, they’ve got world-class players everywhere.
“So, I feel like it has been a tight tournament, there’s not been one that’s run away with it, so every game is difficult, I just saw the other night, the problems that Portugal had, so it just shows the level of teams.”
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