Phil Foden Rediscovers His Spark as Guardiola Calls for England Return

Manchester City’s 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League brought back a familiar sight: Phil Foden playing with freedom, confidence, and end product. Pep Guardiola believes the forward is “back to his best” — now the question is whether Thomas Tuchel agrees, with an England squad announcement imminent.

Phil Foden delivered one of his standout performances of the season as Manchester City eased past Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday night. The 25-year-old scored twice, both precise, composed finishes into the bottom corner — the kind of goals that once defined his rise under Pep Guardiola.

City’s victory came against a Dortmund side that had lost only once all season, making the scoreline and Foden’s influence more notable. All four of his efforts on goal were on target, marking the first time he has scored a brace in a Champions League match.

The performance comes after a challenging previous campaign for both Foden and City. Last season’s inconsistency has given way to a renewed cohesion in Pep Guardiola’s team — and Foden appears to be at the heart of that shift.

“Phil is back,” Guardiola said after the match.
“We know these goals from him — passed into the corner, not hit with power. We missed that last season. When Phil plays with joy, everything becomes natural. He’s a special player.”

Foden echoed that sentiment, describing a refreshed mindset:

“I’m just enjoying my football again. Last year was difficult for everyone, but there’s a new togetherness now. Dortmund made it tough, but we stuck to our plan and used our quality.”

The timing of Foden’s resurgence is significant. England manager Thomas Tuchel is set to announce his next squad on Friday. Foden has not featured for England since March, missing three consecutive call-ups despite being part of Tuchel’s first list earlier in the year.

Guardiola acknowledged the competition for attacking roles in the England squad, but reinforced that Foden has done his part:

“Everyone knows Phil’s ability. England have many top players in his position — that’s the reality. He must keep pushing, keep scoring, and when the call comes, he’ll be ready.”

Statistically, Foden has been one of the Premier League’s most creative players this season, ranking among the top chance-creators, alongside Jack Grealish.

City next host Liverpool in a high-stakes Premier League clash on Sunday, where Foden will have another opportunity to make his case on a national stage — just hours before Tuchel finalizes his squad.