Phil Foden’s Resurgence: Guardiola Celebrates Forward’s Return to Form

MANCHESTER, England — Pep Guardiola has expressed confidence that Phil Foden has regained his form following a standout performance in Manchester City’s 4-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday, where Foden scored two goals.

Foden was recognized as the Premier League’s best player during the 2023-24 season, contributing to City’s fourth consecutive title. However, his performance, along with that of many teammates, dipped last season, leading to a third-place finish in the league and a loss in the FA Cup final.

Wednesday’s match marked Foden’s first career brace in the Champions League, bringing his total to 20 goals in the competition. He becomes the seventh English player to reach this milestone and, at 25 years and 161 days old, is the second-youngest to achieve it, following Wayne Rooney.

“This season, he’s back, yes, this season,” Guardiola said after City’s win, which propelled them to fourth place in the Champions League table. “Not just Phil, all of us struggled last season. When Phil operates at that level, playing between the lines and finding pockets of space, it doesn’t matter what happens. He’s a special player, and we definitely need his goals. Today could be the first step towards that—it’s important to have him back.”

Foden netted 19 league goals two seasons ago, but that number plummeted to seven last season, which resulted in his exclusion from the last three England squads.

As Thomas Tuchel prepares to announce his group for the World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania, Foden is eager to secure a recall.

“Thomas is incredibly astute and understands precisely what the national team requires, and I believe he knows Phil very well,” Guardiola noted. “There is no one in this country, or indeed worldwide, who is unaware of his talent and capabilities. England is fortunate to have an abundance of exceptional players, so Phil must continually strive to improve. During our fourth consecutive Premier League title win, he was the standout player in the league. He’s a top-class talent, and we have missed him significantly; now it feels like he is back.”

This report incorporates insights from ESPN Research.