In 2020, Lionel Messi selected his 15 “youth on the rise” talents, including Phil Foden, a midfielder for Manchester City. It was an audacious prediction.
This season, Foden has been one of Europe’s most impressive performances. During the 2023–24 season, the 23-year-old playmaker has tallied 24 goals and 10 assists for Pep Guardiola’s team.
And in a resounding 4-0 victory over Brighton at the Amex on Thursday night, the England international scored his 15th Premier League goal of the year.
Consequently, Foden joined Erling Haaland and one Lionel Messi as the only other players to score 50 goals in the top division while still under 23 years old under Guardiola.
Messi is one of Foden’s biggest fans. According to rumors, the Argentine would frequently inquire about Foden via close friend and former Barcelona teammate Sergio Aguero.
According to The Telegraph, Pep Guardiola’s participation has created a “degree of fascination” surrounding City, with eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi closely observing the players Guardiola has available.
According to reports, Messi and former Argentina colleague Javier Mascherano would frequently get in touch with Aguero to inquire on Foden’s progress. Foden made his debut in 2017.
As part of a Topps trading card campaign, Messi picked 15 players who were “youth on the rise,” and three years later, he heaped admiration on the England international.
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With regard to Foden, the now-Inter Miami attacker predicted: “He will do amazing things in the game. He has huge talent.”
In the past, Foden has drawn motivation from Messi, imitating a training method from the all-time great to advance his own career.
“I remember back in the academy and City played Barcelona [in the Champions League],” he said in 2022.
“I remember Messi and Dani Alves doing it [two-touch] from a massive distance and didn’t drop it once. That’s the first time I’d seen anyone do it, and I took it into my own training.
“Over the years as I’ve practiced it, I’ve just got better and better at it. It’s not easy, not an easy technique to get the pass right, and obviously your touch has got to be on point as well.”
