Back to the Manchester City Newsfeed

Phil Foden Compared to Lionel Messi by Coach Who Took Him to Manchester City

Phil Foden has been compared to Barcelona legend and five-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi by the man who was responsible for bringing him to Manchester City.

Jim Cassell spotted Foden, 18, when he was City's head of youth development, drawing parallels between the teenager and Messi for his physical attributes and style of play, per the Daily Mail's Ian Ladyman:

"Philip was a unique talent at six. He was a natural, Messi-like the way he covered the ground. He had low gravity, in and out of things.