Guardiola’s Vision: Foden’s Honest Moment Sparks a City Renaissance

Guardiola on Foden and Haaland: a growing City dream

Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola praised Phil Foden after the England star spoke openly about the mental health challenges he faced last season. Foden has started the campaign well, with two goals and two assists in seven matches, even though that tally hasn’t earned him a recall to England’s squad under Thomas Tuchel announced last Friday. City head to Brentford on Sunday, hoping to ride Foden’s revival after a 2024-25 season in which he scored 13 goals and made 7 assists in 49 appearances.

In May, Foden said there were off-field reasons affecting him and that sometimes there are things in life more important than football.

Power of confession

Guardiola said Foden’s openness is a powerful sign of character and that such candour can help the wider community, especially young players dealing with pressure. He added that the joy he sees at training and in the dressing room is what they want to protect, and that the team will support him so he can play at his best while staying healthy.

Foden has taken on greater responsibility this season after Kevin De Bruyne’s departure, and his strong understanding with Erling Haaland could be a key factor for City’s attack. He has evolved into a versatile attacker who can play on either wing or behind the striker, bringing creativity and energy to City’s play.

Speaking about Haaland, Guardiola noted that many clubs dream of signing the Norwegian, but stressed Haaland remains under a long contract with City and is delivering goals and joy on the pitch.

Haaland and the future

Guardiola suggested that if Haaland were not with City, the club would still hope to sign him someday, underscoring the scale of the partnership. He reflected on Foden’s growth since his 2017 debut—an academy product who has become a central piece of City’s system.

The coach hinted that some core players may move on in the future, with Foden seen as a potential long‑term leader for City.

Punchline 1: If Foden starts talking to the ball too much, Guardiola would say, the ball is listening—just don’t start charging it rent. Punchline 2: If Haaland hesitates, Guardiola might grin: the net never lies, my friend.