Sky Sports pundits Gary Neville and Jamie Redknapp strongly believe Phil Foden should play in a central midfield role for England at Euro 2024. They argue that using Foden out wide would be a “waste” and a potential “regret” for manager Gareth Southgate.
Foden, 23, is in prime form after leading Manchester City to their fourth consecutive Premier League title. He scored twice in City’s 3-1 win over West Ham, bringing his season tally to 27 goals and 11 assists. Despite his success in an attacking midfield role at City, Southgate has deployed Foden out wide in nine of his last 11 England appearances.
Redknapp emphasized Foden’s unique abilities: “He has proven this season, he has to play in midfield. We don’t produce players like this in this country—players who can receive the ball on the half turn, maneuver in tight spaces, and shoot from distance. It will be a waste of his talent if we play him wide.”
Neville echoed these sentiments, comparing the situation to Paul Scholes being played out of position at Euro 2004. “This is, technically, the best English football player and we will regret it if we don’t play him in his best position,” Neville said. “We can’t make the same mistakes with Foden that we did with Scholes.”
Foden has spent 53% of his England minutes on the right wing and 44% in midfield. With Euro 2024 approaching, Southgate faces crucial decisions about Foden’s role. England’s group matches will be against Serbia, Denmark, and Slovenia, with the tournament set to start on June 14 in Germany.
As Southgate prepares to name his squad, the debate over Foden’s position highlights the broader challenge of maximizing the potential of England’s talented players.
