City’s manager hails “strong” figure and pledges to continue supporting him
Pep Guardiola is happy that Phil Foden is recovering after facing mental health challenges last season.
Foden has started this campaign brightly, producing two goals and two assists and putting out some stellar performances with apparent ease. It is a turnaround from last season when he struggled and looked a shadow of the player who won the Premier League’s Player of the Season in 2024.
City’s manager said: “I’m happy step by step he’s getting better. You see the games and he’s involved in many, many things.”
Foden admitted earlier this year that “a lot of things going on off the pitch mentally” had weighed on him during the 2024-25 season. He confessed he was struggling and needed a little break from football.
Guardiola said: “How strong he is admitting it. A figure like Phil can be open-minded and speak to all of society. Today the young teenagers and even older people struggle with that, nobody is away from that, everyone can be that.
“To accept the reality, wow. That’s why when I see him now, and forget about the level he is performing, which is a top level, how he’s been, the joy in the training session, his laugh and his voice in the locker room, being back, it’s enough. It’s just what we want.
“The rest, we’ll help him to play as well as possible, with that quality, he’s been there. But be healthy. It’s a sport, win, lose, draw. What’s important is him as a human being, be healthy with the family, with himself, and do what you want to do.”
