Euro 2024: England Boss Gareth Southgate Feels Phil Foden 'Did An Incredible Job' In England Opener Against Serbia

Phil Foden, Gareth Southgate. (X)

England midfielder Phil Foden drew criticism after his pale show in the EURO opener against Serbia on June 17. The Three Lions secured a narrow win in the Group C game, with Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham scoring the only goal with a stunning header early in the first half.

Foden, who operated from the left flank, failed to showcase his A-game in Gelsenkirchen. England boss Gareth Southgate, however, seems not quite worried about Foden’s form. The manager feels the Manchester City star made a great impact with his off-the-ball movements despite not finding his place in the scoresheet.

With England gearing up for their next EURO assignment against Denmark, Southgate will likely go with the same playing eleven that featured in the previous match. After the opening game, there were widespread speculations about if Foden would be able to keep his place in the team. Southgate has now rubbished those claims, praising the 24-year-old midfielder for his performance against Serbia.

“I thought Phil did an incredible job for the team on Sunday. You know, sometimes the bits with the ball are obvious and they catch the eye, but the amount of ground he covered, the angles of pressing, the filling in for people who were further forward. I thought without Phil’s contribution without the ball – and I know that’s not the sexy bit and everybody wants to see him on the ball – I don’t think we win the game,” Southgate explained in a press conference, as quoted by Sky Sports.

The England manager further shed light on Foden’s role in the midfield, saying, “Towards the end of the game he retained the ball for us in really crucial moments. He had a half chance in the first couple of minutes where a slightly better touch and a shot away on goal we could be talking about something very different. ‌He linked the game well in that opening period with the others. And we were happy with what Phil did,” the Mirror quoted.

Foden claimed his fourth consecutive title with Manchester City this season before shifting his focus to the EURO. During the 2023-24 campaign, the English midfielder scored 27 goals and provided 12 assists in 53 appearances for his club across all competitions. He will be seen in action in England’s upcoming EURO clash against Denmark on June 20.

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