Just a year ago, he was crowned the best player in England.
Now, Phil Foden is watching Manchester City’s biggest games from the bench—and nobody seems to fully understand why.
For years, Phil Foden was the golden boy of Manchester City—a generational talent molded by Pep Guardiola and hailed as the future of English football. His vision, creativity, and fearless attacking play helped drive City through some of the most dominant seasons in Premier League history.
But suddenly, something feels different.
In the space of a few months, the player once celebrated as the best footballer in the league has quietly slipped down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium.
And now, fans and analysts are asking the same uneasy question:
What has happened to Phil Foden?
The concern reached a boiling point during Manchester City’s 3–0 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League, where Foden didn’t play a single minute. Instead, he sat on the bench as an unused substitute while Guardiola’s side struggled to find rhythm on Europe’s biggest stage.
For a player who once seemed untouchable in City’s starting XI, the moment felt symbolic.
Over the last 12 matches in all competitions, Foden has started just four games. In the Premier League alone, he has logged only 182 minutes across the past six matches—a remarkable drop for someone who was once the centerpiece of Guardiola’s attack.
Instead, Guardiola has turned to a new attacking lineup featuring Antoine Semenyo, Rayan Cherki, and Savinho.
For many supporters, the shift has been shocking.
After all, Foden’s résumé speaks for itself.
The England international was instrumental in Manchester City’s historic success over the past few seasons. During the 2022–23 campaign, his performances helped guide City to a historic Treble. The following year, he elevated his game even further—scoring 19 goals and delivering eight assists as City claimed a record fourth consecutive Premier League title.
Those performances earned him PFA Player of the Year, cementing his reputation as one of the finest attacking players in Europe.
Yet today, that brilliance feels strangely distant.
Foden has not scored a goal since 14 December, when he capped off a sensational run of six goals in five matches. Since then, he has endured a frustrating drought—18 games without scoring in all competitions.
For a player known for explosive bursts of form, the slump has been difficult to explain.
Former Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney believes the answer may lie in Guardiola’s evolving tactics.
According to Rooney, Manchester City have subtly shifted their style this season.
Instead of dominating possession with patient passing, the team has become faster, more direct, and more physical in attack.
“They’ve gone a bit more dynamic with Semenyo and Cherki,” Rooney explained.
“They’re running at defenders more and playing with more physicality. Maybe that style doesn’t suit Phil as much as some of the others.”
The statistics back up that theory.
City’s January signing Antoine Semenyo, who arrived from Bournemouth in a £64 million deal, has played almost every Premier League minute since joining the club.
Meanwhile, Semenyo, Cherki, and youngster Nico O’Reilly have combined to score 17 goals for City since Foden’s last strike.
In football terms, that kind of productivity makes it difficult for any manager to justify change.
Still, some observers believe there may be more going on behind the scenes.
Former Manchester City midfielder Michael Brown raised another possibility.
“Players don’t suddenly go from starting every game to hardly playing at all without a reason,” Brown said.
“He could be carrying an injury or something that affects his training levels. Sometimes we don’t see what’s happening inside the club.”
Another moment added fuel to the speculation.
In City’s 2–2 draw against Nottingham Forest, Foden was criticized for failing to track Elliot Anderson during the build-up to Forest’s equalizing goal.
Guardiola substituted him just 65 seconds later.
For some fans, the incident felt like a clear sign that the manager’s patience might be wearing thin.
Beyond individual mistakes, however, the tactical picture may be the biggest factor in Foden’s struggles.
Late in 2025, Guardiola began experimenting with a new attacking system.
Previously, Foden thrived playing as an advanced midfielder or drifting winger. But Guardiola shifted him into a role closer to a second striker alongside Erling Haaland.
For a brief period, the adjustment looked inspired.
During early December, Foden exploded with six goals in four matches, often starting wide before drifting into central spaces behind Haaland.
Guardiola even praised the setup.
“When he plays close to Erling, like the season we won the fourth Premier League in a row, Phil was the best player in the league,” the manager said.
But football evolves quickly.
Injuries to City’s wide players and defensive vulnerabilities forced Guardiola to rethink his structure once again.
The result was a narrower attacking formation that alternates between 4-2-2-2 and 4-3-1-2—a system that surprisingly functions without Foden.
And at Manchester City, tactical momentum can be brutal.
Once Guardiola finds a winning formula, it often stays in place.
Players who miss the moment—whether due to form, injuries, or tactical adjustments—sometimes struggle to regain their place.
History offers plenty of examples.
Several high-profile stars have fallen out of favor under Guardiola before eventually leaving the club. Names like Joe Hart, Joao Cancelo, Kyle Walker, and Jack Grealish have all experienced sudden drops in importance.
More recently, defender Manuel Akanji was loaned to Inter Milan after being told he was no longer needed—despite making 26 league appearances the previous season.
Yet Guardiola’s decisions are not always permanent.
One of the most famous comebacks under his management involved Yaya Toure.
In Guardiola’s first season at City, Toure was dramatically left out of the Champions League squad. His agent publicly criticized the decision, prompting Guardiola to demand an apology.
Once that apology arrived, Toure returned and started 22 of the remaining 27 Premier League games, proving redemption was still possible.
That story offers a glimmer of hope for Foden.
But time may not be on his side.
With the 2026 World Cup approaching, England manager Thomas Tuchel is preparing to name his next national squad. Foden was included in England’s previous selection but has struggled to make an impact recently.
If his club struggles continue, his place on the international stage could soon be under threat.
Among Manchester City supporters, opinions are divided.
Some believe the club should move on.
Others insist the situation is temporary.
One fan summed up the frustration: “He’s a brilliant player—but lately he just looks lost on the pitch.”
Another supporter offered a more optimistic view: “Every great player goes through dips. He just needs a run of games.”
For now, however, one truth remains clear.
Phil Foden—the once unstoppable force of Manchester City’s golden era—is facing one of the most uncertain periods of his career.
Whether this is simply a temporary dip in form or the beginning of a deeper shift at the Etihad remains to be seen.
But in football, as Foden knows better than most, the line between superstar and substitute can be frighteningly thin.
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