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England head coach Thomas Tuchel has acknowledged that Manchester City's Phil Foden could be left out of his World Cup squad following a disappointing performance during the recent international break.
In what amounted to his last real opportunity to impress Tuchel directly, Foden featured from the start in both friendlies against Uruguay and Japan, yet was substituted off at the 60-minute mark in each match after struggling to leave his mark on either game.
"He gave everything," Tuchel said of Foden's commitment. "I would say he was outstanding in camp but, yeah, he finds it hard to translate that onto the pitch.
"Obviously, he hasn't had much playing time at City lately. Then he arrived in camp with a huge smile and looked so sharp in training and I thought he would just come out and play with that same energy and enthusiasm but, yeah, he struggles to make the full impact."
When asked whether he would include an out-of-form player in his World Cup plans, Tuchel gave a candid reply: "I can, but the question is whether we will. It's not a given that he'll be there."
Foden's Competition for England Minutes
As Foden nears his 26th birthday, questions about his ideal position on the field continue to linger.
When he was crowned the 2023–24 Premier League Player of the Season, he featured across multiple roles in City's attack. Pep Guardiola deployed the Englishman as a right winger, a left winger, and an attacking midfielder, though this season the majority of Foden's appearances have come in a central capacity.
That is precisely the role in which Tuchel has attempted to incorporate Foden into his setup, yet for some reason, it has simply not clicked.
To make matters worse for Foden, not only is time running short to stake his claim in an England shirt, but fierce competition from other players vying for the same spots means there is very little room for error.
In the attacking midfield area, Tuchel also has Jude Bellingham, Cole Palmer, Morgan Rogers, Eberechi Eze, and Morgan Gibbs-White at his disposal. Arsenal prospects Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman are both being considered for inclusion in the near future after making notable impressions at club level.
If Tuchel is unable to unlock the best from Foden, he cannot justify handing one of his limited squad spots to the City midfielder, as doing so would mean overlooking another player from that group — nearly half of whom are likely to miss out due to sheer numbers regardless.
Underwhelming England Record Adds to Doubts
The instinctive reaction might be to point the blame at Tuchel, who has conceded he has been unable to get the most out of a six-time Premier League winner who was widely regarded as the finest player in England just a couple of seasons ago.
In truth, Tuchel is far from the first manager to see minimal returns from Foden, whose 49 England caps have produced just four international goals to date.
Sir Gareth Southgate, Tuchel's predecessor, faced repeated public scrutiny over his handling of Foden. He even consulted Pep Guardiola, Foden's club manager, for guidance on his optimal position, yet was still criticised by the player himself for a forgettable Euro 2024 campaign that exposed the dangers of deploying someone without a clear tactical plan.
Foden started every England match at Euro 2024, from the group stage through to the final. Five of those appearances came on the left wing, with two in a central role. Having failed to score or register an assist throughout the tournament, Foden suggested he had been let down by his own positional flexibility.
"Coming off last season being the best player in the Premier League and playing centre midfield, I do feel the position was quite difficult to get used to," Foden told the Manchester Evening News.
Tuchel is evidently determined not to repeat the same mistake. If Foden cannot demonstrate that he merits a place in the squad ahead of those competing for his spot, he will simply not be included.