Phil Foden is considered the next big thing in England. Since his days as a player in the academy, the player has been touted as one of the best talents not only in the EPL but all of football.
The English midfielder/winger’s potential has been recognised by his manager Pep Guardiola as well, who gave him his debut when he was just 17 years old. Since then Foden has been crucial for Manchester City’s multiple league titles and domestic trophy successes.
In the recent 2021/2022 season he contributed with 14 g/a which was vital for securing another league title for City. For his contributions, the player was awarded the PFA Young Player of the Year award.
While the player has a long way to go he will be hoping to join the ranks of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as some of the greatest to have played the sport.
In a way, he has…. just perhaps not in the manner the player would have liked to. A mural in Stockport dedicated to Foden was recently completed, with images surfacing on social media.
Unfortunately, like the bust dedicated to Ronaldo outside the Madeira airport, and Messi’s statue at the Barcelona Wax Museum, the mural does not represent what the Manchester City player looks like.
People were quick to point this out. Some noted that the mural represents Chelsea player Ross Barkley, more than Phil Foden. Interestingly, at one point Barkley was praised similarly to Foden and touted to be the next great English midfielder.
The former Everton player has not reached the heights people expected him to, but Foden is so far on the correct path to becoming a great player.
Often it is suggested to separate the artist from their art, perhaps in this case we should separate the subject from the art. Next season could bring much more prestige and success for Foden, and hopefully more accurate murals as well.
