One of England’s ‘best players’ faces World Cup snub after Thomas Tuchel call
Phil Foden is facing the prospect of missing out on Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the 2026 World Cup with a crucial decision set to be make.
That is according to former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that the 25-year-old is facing “huge questions” about his place in Tuchel‘s plans.
Having been excluded from the most recent squad to face Andorra and Serbia, doubts have emerged about whether he will be able to break back into the side.
Foden has previously been slammed for his England displays, while he has also struggled at club level with Man City, adding to the growing criticism.
Meanwhile, competition from the likes of Bukayo Saka, Jude Bellingham and Cole Palmer is also expected to put a dent in his changes of earning his place back.
Phil Foden facing exile from England’s World Cup 2026 squad
Tuchel was highly critical of Foden during the March international break, leading Ian Wright to suggest the midfielder was “fortunate” to have been handed a call-up.
Brown, who has a wealth of experience working closely with elite-level managers including the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Ron Atkinson at Man United, insisted that the boss will have a difficult decision to make with the Man City star’s future up in the air.
“Being left out at this stage raises huge questions,” he told Football Insider.
“His form for Man City hasn’t been good enough, everybody knows that, and when he’s been called upon to play for England he’s never showed he can perform to his best level.
“Tuchel will be watching him closely because there’s no doubt he’s a talented player, but he can’t be in the squad just because of what he might be able to do.
“At the moment, his performances haven’t been good enough to earn him a place in the side.
“Especially when you look at the competition in his position, he’s competing with the likes of Saka, [Noni] Madueke, [Eberechi] Eze, Bellingham, [Marcus] Rashford, Palmer, even [Jack] Grealish just to name a few.
“It’s difficult to see how, on his current form, Foden could get back into the squad, to be honest.
“The focus is going to be on preparing for the World Cup, and if he’s not involved in those preparations, it wouldn’t surprise me at all to see him miss out.
“Tuchel left him out of this squad, so he clearly has his doubts.
“All Foden can do is try to get back to playing at his best because if he doesn’t, he’s definitely at risk.”
It has now become clear that the attacking midfielder’s performances must improve if he wants to get back into the England manager’s good books.
The decline of a star once considered the country’s ‘best player’
Chelsea legend Joe Cole labelled Foden the “best player in the country” when on top form [via talkSPORT] and insisted England must “keep faith” in him.
However, there has been a clear decline in his performances over the last year or so, raising new questions about his place both at international and club level.
The Man City star won the PFA Player of the Year award in 2024, but picked up just seven goals and two assists in 28 Premier League appearances last season.
Foden’s dip in form has coincided with a difficult spell for Pep Guardiola‘s side, raising questions about his ability to step up during times of adversity.
The sake questions were raised during Euro 2024 with England, with his poor form having stemmed from an underwhelming tournament despite his side reaching the final.
Now, he has failed to start a game for Man City so far this season, and has been told in no uncertain terms that he must recapture his form to get back in Tuchel’s plans.
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