Phil Foden Hunger Is Back – Now Pep Guardiola Must Hand City’s Golden Boy the Keys to the Kingdom

After a turbulent season, the England starlet looked reborn at the Club World Cup – but he needs a defined No. 10 role to rediscover greatness

Manchester City’s Club World Cup opener felt like a soft launch party for the club’s summer toys – Tijjani Reijnders and Rayan Cherki – yet it was the familiar face of Phil Foden that stole the limelight.

Sporting a back‑to‑basics trim, City’s favourite son opened the scoring against Wydad Casablanca inside 54 seconds, curled in the corner that Jeremy Doku volleyed home, and generally buzzed around the Lincoln Financial Field like a man trying to cram six weeks of frustration into 90 minutes. It was vintage Foden – impish, incisive, impossible to ignore.

Most importantly, it was a far cry from the sullen figure who limped through the final months of last season, worn down by a nagging ankle, off‑field pressures and the relentless churn of expectations. “New season, fresh me,” he grinned in Philadelphia. The sparkle in his eye said the same.

The challenge now falls to Pep Guardiola: harness that hunger, hand Foden a permanent platform, and set him back on the path to genuine superstardom. Because if City get this right, it could feel like unveiling a brand‑new £100 million signing – without spending a penny.

The Anatomy of a Slump

Phil Foden that stole the limelight.

Foden’s 2024‑25 dip was no isolated blip; it was a perfect storm. He slogged through 5,000 minutes the previous campaign, then saw his confidence punctured by an ankle knock at Old Trafford – not to mention vile terrace chants that left him, by his own admission, “mentally drained”.

Guardiola sensed the drop‑off. In press conferences he spoke less about pressing angles or xG and more about helping Phil feel good. “He’s a baby, baby boy,” the Catalan mused. “All I want is to help him.”

But rest alone won’t resurrect the prodigy once hailed by Pep as his “greatest talent” – yes, even above a teenage Lionel Messi. Foden needs clarity. He needs responsibility. And, crucially, he needs to operate where his instincts sing loudest: as a bona‑fide No. 10.

Why the No. 10 Shirt Fits

When Kevin De Bruyne spent half of 2023‑24 on the treatment table, Foden slid into the Belgian’s creative throne and thrived. He dictated tempo, drifted wide to whip left‑foot rockets towards the far stick, and posted double‑digit goals and assists before Christmas.

Then De Bruyne returned, City’s shape blurred, Rodri’s absence plunged the side into midfield chaos, and Foden’s influence waned.

Against Wydad, Guardiola’s 2‑3‑5 looked thrilling in attack but left Foden shuttling between deep double‑pivot out of possession and half‑spaces on the break. He embraced the task – “different, but I enjoyed it,” he said – yet hinted at his preference: “Maybe not that deep, but a bit higher. As long as I’m in the middle, I feel comfortable.”

Translation: let Rodri and Reijnders build, deploy Cherki or Savinho wide, and stick Foden between the lines behind Erling Haaland.

Cherki’s Freedom vs Foden’s Responsibility

If Foden’s best season was helped by having a reduced role the year before

Cherki debuted in that central pocket but flicked and tricked with the giddy extravagance of a YouTube highlights reel. He coughed up possession, almost conceded from halfway, and showcased why Lyon often preferred him as a wide creator.

Foden, by contrast, marries flair with discipline. He times runs, feeds the striker early, and presses like a demon – traits Guardiola values above step‑overs. A wide berth for Cherki on the right, with licence to drift inside, feels safer. Let Foden assume the De Bruyne mantle.

Rodri the Enabler

Foden

City’s mid‑season wobble coincided with Rodri’s ACL absence. Without the Spaniard anchoring transitions, Foden was forced to drop into areas that neutered his threat. Now, Rodri is back, Reijnders adds legs, and City’s structure looks sturdy enough to release Foden into pure attacking duty.

A Rodri‑Reijnders double act, Foden at 10, Doku left, Cherki right, Haaland high: suddenly City boast balance and chaos in equal measure. And Pep knows it. “He will be important – of course he will,” the coach insisted post‑match. Those words must be backed by consistent selection.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

Even in a “down” year, Foden ranked among the Premier League’s top five for shot‑creating actions per 90. His Expected Assisted Goals (xAG) eclipsed those of established playmakers well into their prime.

Give him 45‑plus starts, clear tactical instructions and a settled midfield behind him, and there’s every reason to believe he can match – maybe surpass – the 2023‑24 heights that earned him England’s Footballer of the Year.

Greatness Beckons – If Pep Lets Him Off the Leash

Phil Foden has always possessed the feet, the engine and the street‑kid edge to conquer any stage. What he momentarily lost last season was belief. A summer of rest, reflection and renewed purpose has reignited the fire.

Guardiola’s task is deceptively simple: give the boy his ball, pin a No. 10 on his back, and trust him to weave the next chapter in City’s story. Do that, and the Etihad won’t just regain its favourite son – it will unleash a footballer still capable of becoming the defining English talent of his generation.

City thought they unveiled two new gems in Philadelphia. They really unveiled three – because Phil  Foden is back, hungrier than ever, and ready to reclaim the path to greatness.