Manchester City have had more players feature in the 2024 European Championship than any other side in the Premier League.
Specifically, 14 members of Pep Guardiola’s squad were selected to represent their countries in the tournament currently taking place in Germany.
With City winning a fourth Premier League trophy in a row after winning the Treble, it shouldn’t have been a surprise that a significant number of players from the Manchester club have had busy summers so far on the international stage.
Now that the group stage has ended, one pundit and former England star has claimed that one of City’s international stars is one of the best in the world in his position.
Gary Lineker says Phil Foden is one of the best players in the world
In a recent edition of The Rest Is Football, Lineker was assessing how Gareth Southgate has been setting the England side up for the tournament.
On the subject of Phil Foden, who has started all three group games as a left-winger, Lineker had this to say about him.
He said: “Phil Foden is one of the best number 10s in world football.”
Southgate should play Foden in a number 10 role
Despite Foden scoring 13 goals in 15 games as an attacking-midfielder in his previous season with City, Southgate has not used him in this position so far in the Euros.
Even after England’s opening game of the tournament against Serbia which they won 1-0, Gabby Agbonlahor demanded that Southgate put the 24-year-old in his natural number 10 role.
In his latest appearance for the Three Lions, the six-time Premier League champion made two key passes and had two clear shots at goal but was still unable to find the back of the net or deliver an assist for his side.
After being named Man City’s player of the season, Foden said this to the club’s official website about playing regularly in a central position throughout the campaign.
He said: “Moving into the centre has helped my game come on loads, I can get on the ball and influence it more. Some of that I’ve enjoyed a lot and that’s where I see myself, hopefully in the future, playing there more.”
With that in mind and the fact that Lineker thinks so highly of him as a number 10, Southgate shouldn’t be needing this much convincing to start the City hero in this position.