Pep Guardiola has put pressure on Thomas Tuchel to recall Phil Foden to the England squad following the Manchester City star's stunning performance in a 4-1 win over Borussia Dortmund.
Foden was at the double as City secured all three points at the Etihad on Wednesday night and he took his tally for the season to four goals and three assists in 13 games across competitions. He continues to flourish for club and remind his national team manager Tuchel of his quality.
The 25-year-old was left out of Tuchel's squad for the October international break and last featured under the German in a 3-0 win over Latvia in March. The competition for places in the Three Lions' attack is extensive and there are concerns that he could miss next year's FIFA World Cup.
"Thomas Knows" - Guardiola's Message To Tuchel Over Foden's England Future
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Guardiola is backing Foden to return to the England setup and he's made that stance clear with his comments after watching City see off Dortmund. He told reporters that Tuchel and the entire country know how talented his attacker is:
"Listen, Thomas is so smart and knows exactly what the national team needs. I think Thomas knows Phil perfectly. Phil wants to play better and better and better. The national team is different, like as a team. The national team is a short time to create a team when you’re not a team."
He added:
"Come on, there’s no person in this country or in the world who doesn’t know his quality and ability. But England is lucky to have such an amount of good players in this position. That’s why Phil has to push himself to be better and better and better because when he gets the call, he can say, ‘okay, I’m going to show how good I am’."
Foden's international exploits have left much to be admired and he put this down to a positional issue when reflecting on a frustrating Euro 2024 campaign. He has earned 45 caps for the Three Lions, posting four goals and nine assists, but has failed to become a mainstay in his nation's starting lineup, unlike at club level with City.