If there is still any doubt among voters about who should be crowned Footballer of the Year 2023-2024, Phil Foden underlined – three times for emphasis – why this is an open and shut case.
It should be the same when the PFA Player of the Season voting returns.
There have also been great campaigns elsewhere this season. Alexis Mac Allister was brilliant for Liverpool; Declan Rice was the conductor for Arsenal’s title bid; Ollie Watkins is joint second in the Premier League goalscoring charts and first in the assists chart; Jarrod Bowen has scored 15 goals in a inconsistent West Ham team; in his own team, Rodri was great, as he often is.
But Phil Foden is the Footballer of the Year, whatever measure you want to use and his spellbinding hat-trick against Aston Villa, the third of his career at the age of 23 and his second of the season after Brentford away, only further cemented his business.
“He can do whatever he wants,” said Pep Guardiola, barely able to hide his smile.
Phil Foden scored a stunning hat-trick in Man City’s 4-1 win over Aston Villa on Wednesday
Foden’s excellent performance underlined his status as the best player in the Premier League this season
Foden’s year-on-year improvement goes beyond Pep Guardiola’s research and encouragement
“I think he really is a top player and we know that.”
However, this is Guardiola. There is always room for improvement.
“He has an open mind,” he said. “He still has to concentrate on things, sometimes he gets distracted by what he has to do defensively, but he has a natural talent, a gift. He’s so special when he’s center stage.
“He has goals in his veins, and we have to use him.”
Foden’s year-on-year improvement goes beyond Guardiola’s research and the coaching staff’s encouragement and challenges. It even goes beyond his own professionalism and built-in work ethic.
He is highly motivated to be the best in the game, even obsessed. That’s what separates him.
Joleon Lescott reminisced about even having to take a ball from Foden, such was his obsession with honing his craft while away at England Under-21s a few years ago.
‘I worked with him at England Under-21s and we had to ban him from doing extra sessions after training because you couldn’t get him off the pitch!’ Lescott said.
‘He always wants to work on his technique, immerse himself in game scenarios and develop himself. He probably loves the game as much as I love my kids! He’s just obsessed.’
For all the praise Foden received – and he more than delivers on his promise to receive it – many in the dressing room were quick to shower him with fresh motivation to get even better; they know exactly which buttons to press.
Kyle Walker did just that for Everton when Foden, who he calls ‘The Sniper’, was told he could and should be much more clinical in front of goal. Last night against Villa it was his defensive work that Guardiola picked up.
“He didn’t start well,” Guardiola said, “but I think the goal helped him a lot for the mood.”
Goals, the sheer size of them, have taken Foden to a whole new level.
His hat-trick here meant that only four players – Robbie Fowler and Michael Owen (seven), Harry Kane (six) and Erling Haaland (five) had scored more Premier League hat-tricks than him at the same age. These are all centre-forwards and bona fide goalscorers. Foden is in a class of his own.
In 2018/19 he led seven; a season later there were eight and in 2020-21 he had racked up 16 goals and 10 assists as he won PFA Young Player of the Season.
In 2021–22, when he defended his PFA title, he scored fourteen goals and eleven assists; in 2022-2023 there were fifteen goals and eight assists; this time he already has 21 goals and 10 assists, with no fewer than fifteen games to go.
‘I just love football at the moment, playing with a smile on my face and trying to help the team. I know I am capable of scoring goals and I showed that today, so I am very happy,” Foden told TNT Sports afterwards.
‘I have always set myself (the goal) to do better than last season, to get more goal contributions. I think I’m awake this year, so I’m doing well.”
The Man City star’s inbuilt motivation to be the best he can is what sets him apart from the rest
Several other players have enjoyed fine seasons, such as Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister (left) and Arsenal’s midfield maestro Declan Rice (right), but Foden deserves to be rewarded
Guardiola was keen to emphasize afterwards that Foden and Kevin De Bruyne, who is here on the bench to rest, can coexist centrally for City, who are fond of the 4-1-4-1 system that may is made by the magistracy of Rodri. but, whisper this softly, Foden is starting to show that life without De Bruyne won’t be so bad after all. In fact, they’re doing just fine.
De Bruyne, 32, is set to be a top target for Saudi Arabia this summer and while that was once an unthinkable departure for City, it should no longer be a conversation they don’t entertain.
Foden is by far City’s biggest talent and will be the jewel in this crown for years to come.
But for now, a player who is highly motivated by individual accolades should start clearing some space in his trophy cabinet. Silverware is imminent.