Joleon Lescott says Phil Foden has a similar mentality to Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney.
The pundit broke down the similarities between Foden and Rooney in terms of their love for the game on City’s official pre-match show on YouTube ahead of their 3-0 win against Urawa Red Diamonds.
After the Club World Cup semi-final, especially in the first half, Izzy Christiansen hailed his display as “brilliant.”
Joleon Lescott says Phil Foden has the same mentality Wayne Rooney did
In April, Jordan Henderson described the 23-year-old as an “incredible player.” But most notably, the former Liverpool captain revealed that the decorated attacker has “always got a ball at his feet.”
So much so that Henderson recalled how Foden even played football in hotels during their time away on international duty.
Joleon Lescott made the same revelation about Phil Foden and spotted similarities in terms of how he views the game to Wayne Rooney.
“I think there’s a natural-born ability to a certain extent but I also think there’s a natural desire in him to want to be the best and want to improve. And like I’ve said numerous times, I think he loves football more than any player I’ve seen. Wayne Rooney was probably like that”, he said on Manchester City’s pre-match show on their YouTube channel ahead of Tuesday’s contest.
Joleon Lescott continued to liken Phil Foden to Wayne Rooney, saying, “You thought, he just thinks about it a little differently. It means a little bit more to him. I wanted to win where Wayne needed to win. And Phil kind of has that hunger of…when I’ve seen him in the academy or younger at England age groups, he’s always got a football to the point of where we had to ban extra work after training because Phil, you just couldn’t get him off the training pitch. He’d be out there for as long as you let him out there.”
“They had to remove balls from the hotel because he’d just be walking around the hotel dribbling. He’s obsessed, it’s crazy!”
Phil Foden could reach the very pinnacle of football if he does not change his ways
Considering Joleon Lescott played with Wayne Rooney for England, for him to compare Phil Foden to him in any respect should be a huge compliment to the Manchester City technician.
After all, the retired forward is one of the greatest players his nation has ever produced and one of the best footballers in the history of the game.
For Phil Foden to reach the very pinnacle of football, he must ensure that his mentality stays the same throughout the end of his career.
Not many players are as in love with the game as Foden seems to be, which is perhaps why in several cases, their careers have not panned out as expected initially.
However, Foden, much like Rooney could be in a class of his own if he strives to become the best at all times and does not lose his unbridled passion for football.
