England boss Gareth Southgate recalls first time seeing Phil Foden train as a 14-year-old with Man City star told he hasn't changed since then

The England manager's commendation comes on the back of Foden's victory over his England teammate Declan Rice and fellow Manchester City player Rodri to the prestigious Footballer of the Year accolade by the Football Writers’ Association (FWA). The forward has been in sensational form this season and boasts of having 25 goals and 11 assists for City across competitions which saw him bag 42 per cent of the votes.

Southgate reminisced about his first encounter with Foden during an Under-16 camp at St George’s Park, where the youngster's skills left a lasting impression. Speaking to The Football Writers' Association, the manager remarked: "It was an Under-16 camp at St George’s Park. When you get a special player you get a reverberation around the place. Everyone said, ‘Have you seen Phil?!’ I really see the same player now (as then), the fluidity, the twists and turns, the gliding movements. Then they told me he was 14!

“He’s continued to have that hunger, working with brilliant players every day, and with Pep and an incredible coaching team. Phil loves football. He loves to be with the ball. We have to drag him off the (England) training pitch usually with Grealish! Phil’s a special player. He’s going to be a star for years to come. We are lucky to have him.”

City, under the guidance of manager Pep Guardiola, are on the brink of making history as the team stands poised to become the first club to win four successive league titles, provided they can match or surpass Arsenal’s result against West Ham on Sunday.

Reflecting on the possibility of setting a new record, Foden said: "It would mean everything to me after finishing last season and what we achieved then. We’re still in two competitions, we’ve got two finals left and we’ll give everything to try and achieve success and try and do the Premier League four times which has never been done before.

“It would mean a lot to us. It’s history and I don’t think I can ever see it being done again. It’s something the team knows, the team understands and we’re looking forward to trying to get it done."

With his unwavering dedication, skill, and determination, Foden continues to captivate fans and pundits alike, cementing his place as a rising star in the footballing world. Apart from the Premier League, he can also win the FA Cup trophy if City go on to beat Manchester United in the final at Wembley on May 25.