- Only three English players have ever won the Ballon d’Or
- Michael Owen was the last Englishman to receive the award in 2001
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Brentford boss Thomas Frank believes Phil Foden can become only the fourth Englishman to win the Ballon D’or when his side come face to face with the Manchester City star tonight.
The 23-year-old scored a hat-trick when the sides met at the Gtech Stadium a fortnight ago and scored five goals in as many games against the Bees, who travel to the Etihad Stadium hoping to emulate last season’s stunning 2-1 victory . .
Michael Owen was the last English player to claim football’s biggest individual prize in 2001, while Kevin Keegan, who won it in 1976 and ’77, and Stanley Matthews in 1956 were the only others to lift the prize.
“Foden is a very good player, for me he is the closest England will come to winning a Ballon D’or in the future,” said Frank.
‘He can influence the game in so many ways. The last game against us he got after three situations and scored three goals. He is a very good dribbler and works very hard for the team.
Brentford boss Thomas Frank has backed Phil Foden (above) to win the Ballon d’Or
Frank believes the Man City star can emulate Michael Owen, who won the award in 2001
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‘I don’t know him, but from the outside he has a good mentality, he is very good and regularly plays for one of the best teams in the world.
‘When I see him play, I really like him as a player.
Brentford were the only team to do the double against Pep Guardiola’s treble winners last season and are the latest side to beat the champions on home soil in the Premier League.
However, the west London side will travel to the north-west with an injury-ravaged side now without key defender Ethan Pinnock, who scored in his side’s 1-0 home win over City last year, until six weeks after the match. central defender suffered an ankle injury.