Phil Foden’s omission from Thomas Tuchel’s England squad could prove to be a “blessing in disguise” as the Manchester City star seeks to regain ‘happiness’, Citizens expert Steven McInerney from Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole.
Earlier this year, the 25-year-old opened up on how he had endured ‘things off the pitch mentally’ last year and “felt physically and mentally burned out” having previously enjoyed the best season of his career in 2023-24, winning the Premier League and PFA Player of the Year awards.
Foden experienced a disrupted start to the new campaign with a niggling ankle issue, but the playmaker has since made a notable impression since returning to Pep Guardiola’s side, contributing to four goals (two goals, two assists) in his last seven appearances across all competitions.
Guardiola recently hailed Foden’s honestly on his mental health and the Catalan coach has seen that the player’s 'joy, laugh and voice in the dressing room is back'.
Despite Foden’s upturn in form, the Man City star has been left out of Tuchel’s England squad ahead of Thursday’s international friendly with Wales and a World Cup qualifier against Latvia next week.
Tuchel has insisted that he has “no problem” with Foden, who has been omitted for the third international break in a row, and he has recognised how the playmaker is “back to influencing games and deciding games for Man City”.
Phil Foden of Manchester City on September 18, 2025
“Baby steps” for Foden as mental health is more important than football
Foden will instead remain at Man City for training before club football resumes in just over a week’s time, and McInerney believes that the academy graduate will benefit from another spell away from the international scene.
Asked if he was surprised by Foden’s latest England snub, McInerney told Sports Mole: “A little bit surprised, not majorly. I don't think he's had a great time in an England shirt. I understand Tuchel wants to maybe be cautious around him.
“It's been pretty well documented now, and Guardiola talked an awful lot about it prior to the Brentford game, that Phil Foden had a tough year last year (with his mental health). Guardiola said it's nice to see him back laughing and so on, which implied he wasn't last year, he wasn't enjoying his football and he was maybe in himself a little bit.
“Where he’s at mentally is way more important than the football side of it. Maybe Tuchel just thinks he's not quite ready for it yet, given the tough year last year, maybe he doesn't need to be involved in this because no one doubts Phil Foden's quality.
“Maybe right now the focus should be in Manchester, enjoying his football at City, focus on his fitness, focus on finding the best version of himself. I still thought he'd pick him because he's one of the most in-form players in the league, but I don't mind it personally.
“I think Phil might be a bit disappointed, but I feel it's a bit of a blessing in disguise. Baby steps (are needed) right now for Phil Foden - which feels wild to say given his elite talent and being a former PFA Player of the Year and all that.
“I think slowly and cautiously is the best approach here because it was heavily implied that it was all a bit too much for him (last year). I'm hoping that this could actually be a nice couple of weeks for him to reset, relax a little bit, and as Guardiola said rightfully, if he carries on playing to this level, he'll be back in the England side before we know it.”
Manchester City's Phil Foden on September 18, 2025
Foden ‘need to be himself’ and “find that joy”
Discussing what Foden needs to do to force his way back into the England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup, McInerney said: “Just be himself. I've met Phil a few times, we're on first name terms, and he's a really nice lad.
“I mean this with the greatest respect possible - he just wants to play football. I don't think everyone necessarily wants or enjoys the drama that comes with being a Premier League footballer. The spotlight, the intensity.
“I’m not saying this has happened for Foden, but I can only imagine that elevation you have after winning the PFA Player of the Year and scoring that many goals and you're thrust into the limelight as a superstar. There is another side to that. Some people might like it, some people might not. I think Phil Foden just wants to play football.
“He's very obviously a family man. His number (47) is actually dedicated to his granddad who passed away. He's got three young kids already at 25 years old, and he’s just a lad from Stockport. Not everyone will understand what that means, but if you're from around Manchester, you know what I mean, he's just a lad from Stockport. It’s the most down-to-earth descriptor I could put of him.
“I feel the best version of Phil Foden is the one that isn't probably overthinking, who can just be himself, who can just play football. I think that's all he has to do, find that joy again and not worry about the status that comes from being a superstar and being an award-winning player.
“I feel like that stuff can be distracting. I think you enjoy it in the moment, being on the front of magazines and blah blah blah, but eventually, I think that noise becomes loud and I can imagine it gets in your ears.
“I think Phil just needs to find his football again and I think that's the best version of him. If he starts to just enjoy it a little bit, focus on enjoying being around his friends as well on the training ground.
Phil Foden scores and celebrates for Manchester City on September 24, 2025
“The only thing that matters is that Foden is happy”
“I think we forget even though he's 25, and even though he's won all this, it's still a surreal environment to be a footballer. It is a very weird lifestyle. You're a superstar and you're in a sort of permanent stage of infancy because you do the same thing you do from when you're eight years old and are still doing it at 25 years old.
“I'm not saying they're kids, but it's a weird place to grow up in that environment. I can imagine he won't be the only footballer that goes through these trials and tribulations off the pitch. The difference here is Phil Foden is an absolute superstar, so I can imagine he feels it more publicly than most I would guess, we all see it because of the standards he’s set himself.”
McInerney added: “What does he need to do? He doesn't need to do anything. There's immediate pressure on him to change something there, but what I would like him to feel is like himself, and Guardiola has said the same. The only thing that matters is that he's happy.
“Last season felt very turbulent for Manchester City and when your home feels turbulent, I can imagine you feel turbulent if you're susceptible to that, so I think he might have felt it last season as well.
“I just want Phil Foden to be happy. If he's happy, he's brilliant and I think Phil Foden knows that. I think Guardiola knows that.”
Sharing his thoughts on what represents a successful season for Foden, McInerney said: “It's hard to quantify in terms of metrics, but just carry on how he's playing. I think if Phil Foden is still playing in that number 10 role by the end of the season and he's a regular, I’m sure he gets 10 to 15 assists, 10 to 15 goals and I think he'd be buzzing with that, and I think he'd be in the England squad.
“I think establishing himself as a number 10 that he's wanted to be, I think that to me is a successful season for Phil Foden.”
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