‘Best player in country’ – England superstar is like Lionel Messi – Thomas Tuchel should’ve named him in squad

When Phil Foden maximises his quality on the football pitch – he’s the best player available for England. That’s according to Three Lions legend Joe Cole, who even compared the Manchester City man to footballing royalty Lionel Messi. Foden last featured for England against Latvia in MarchGetty Having enjoyed a stunning breakthrough at boyhood club City, Foden looked set to become a key part of an exciting England national team. However, the 25-year-old hasn’t scored for his country since 2023, and has missed out on the last two squads under Thomas Tuchel. Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer have emerged as two other attacking midfield talents, with Foden dropping in the pecking order. But Cole, who earned 56 caps with England and shone in the role, has put him on par with the iconic Messi despite his inconsistency. When assessing Foden’s future on Drive, Darren Bent said: “I think the problem for Phil, is where do you play him? Because a lot of people have said, ‘Play him as a No.10’. “But me personally, I believe as a No.10, Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer are both better in that position than him. So, what do you do with Phil Foden? “Because we don’t want to see him get forced into the team but if he can’t get in his natural position, what do you do with him?” Cole replied: “Well, I agree with you as well, I think Cole Palmer and Jude are ahead of him at the moment. “Maybe you wouldn’t have said that 18 months ago, certainly with Cole and possibly with Jude, they were going back and forth to see who would be England’s No.10. “He had a difficult season last year, we don’t know the problems he had off the pitch or injuries, or what it was. But you have to keep faith with these type of players, you can’t just… Foden was once a consistent part of the team, but Tuchel has left him out againGetty Cole has called for the Three Lions to not give up on the City mantalkSPORT He even compared him to Messi, who has over 1,000 career goals and assistsGetty “When Phil Foden plays well, to the best of his ability, like the season before last, he’s the best player in the country. “There’s only one player who can produce that type of level of performance over the last 15 years consistently, that’s Lionel Messi, and there’s a reason he’s the greatest player in the world. “But a manager’s job is to get the best out of these players and you need to have your best players, and Phil Foden’s certainly… “If someone turns around and tells you Phil Foden is not in your 23 best footballers in this country, then they’re mad. So in that sense, you have to have him and build him, and build his stature. “But he has to perform as well, he has to do his end of the bargain and I think he will get there, and similar to Jack [Grealish]. “He doesn’t start for me, for England now, because of that, you have to be doing it to play for England, you do have to be performing and playing well. If Foden can rediscover his 2023/24 form, he could earn a World Cup spotGetty “But there’s certain players like Phil Foden that you take and you nurture, and you wait for. “If you need to unlock and game and you’ve got 20 minutes to go, you’d want Phil Foden sitting next to you on the bench with his ability to pick a pass or do something.” Foden’s decline with City and England In City’s treble-winning season, Foden hit 15 goals and eight assists across all competitions, and also netted at the 2022 World Cup. The academy graduate then stormed to 27 goals and 13 assists in the 2023/24 campaign to earn a Euro 2024 squad call-up. However, Foden’s goal contributions halved last season, with his most recent Premier League strike coming in January. He has featured just once in the new campaign with a cameo off the bench in City’s 2-0 defeat to Tottenham. With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, Foden will need to return to his best perform to book his spot on the plane. However, should Bellingham and Palmer also excel for Real Madrid and Chelsea respectively, then Tuchel could face a selection dilemma.

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‘Best player in country’ – England superstar is like Lionel Messi – Thomas Tuchel should’ve named him in squad

When Phil Foden maximises his quality on the football pitch – he’s the best player available for England.

That’s according to Three Lions legend Joe Cole, who even compared the Manchester City man to footballing royalty Lionel Messi.

Foden last featured for England against Latvia in March

Having enjoyed a stunning breakthrough at boyhood club City, Foden looked set to become a key part of an exciting England national team.

However, the 25-year-old hasn’t scored for his country since 2023, and has missed out on the last two squads under Thomas Tuchel.

Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer have emerged as two other attacking midfield talents, with Foden dropping in the pecking order.

But Cole, who earned 56 caps with England and shone in the role, has put him on par with the iconic Messi despite his inconsistency.

When assessing Foden’s future on Drive, Darren Bent said: “I think the problem for Phil, is where do you play him? Because a lot of people have said, ‘Play him as a No.10’.

“But me personally, I believe as a No.10, Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer are both better in that position than him. So, what do you do with Phil Foden?

“Because we don’t want to see him get forced into the team but if he can’t get in his natural position, what do you do with him?”

Cole replied: “Well, I agree with you as well, I think Cole Palmer and Jude are ahead of him at the moment.

“Maybe you wouldn’t have said that 18 months ago, certainly with Cole and possibly with Jude, they were going back and forth to see who would be England’s No.10.

“He had a difficult season last year, we don’t know the problems he had off the pitch or injuries, or what it was. But you have to keep faith with these type of players, you can’t just…

Foden was once a consistent part of the team, but Tuchel has left him out again

Cole has called for the Three Lions to not give up on the City man

He even compared him to Messi, who has over 1,000 career goals and assists

“When Phil Foden plays well, to the best of his ability, like the season before last, he’s the best player in the country.

“There’s only one player who can produce that type of level of performance over the last 15 years consistently, that’s Lionel Messi, and there’s a reason he’s the greatest player in the world.

“But a manager’s job is to get the best out of these players and you need to have your best players, and Phil Foden’s certainly…

“If someone turns around and tells you Phil Foden is not in your 23 best footballers in this country, then they’re mad. So in that sense, you have to have him and build him, and build his stature.

“But he has to perform as well, he has to do his end of the bargain and I think he will get there, and similar to Jack [Grealish].

“He doesn’t start for me, for England now, because of that, you have to be doing it to play for England, you do have to be performing and playing well.

If Foden can rediscover his 2023/24 form, he could earn a World Cup spot

“But there’s certain players like Phil Foden that you take and you nurture, and you wait for.

“If you need to unlock and game and you’ve got 20 minutes to go, you’d want Phil Foden sitting next to you on the bench with his ability to pick a pass or do something.”

Foden’s decline with City and England

In City’s treble-winning season, Foden hit 15 goals and eight assists across all competitions, and also netted at the 2022 World Cup.

The academy graduate then stormed to 27 goals and 13 assists in the 2023/24 campaign to earn a Euro 2024 squad call-up.

However, Foden’s goal contributions halved last season, with his most recent Premier League strike coming in January.

He has featured just once in the new campaign with a cameo off the bench in City’s 2-0 defeat to Tottenham.

With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, Foden will need to return to his best perform to book his spot on the plane.

However, should Bellingham and Palmer also excel for Real Madrid and Chelsea respectively, then Tuchel could face a selection dilemma.