John Stones has heaped praise on one of his Manchester City teammates for the unique way he plays football.
Having been at the Manchester club since 2016, the defender has racked up 257 appearances for the Blues across all competitions, sharing the pitch and dressing room with a significant number of players along the way.
On the international stage, Stones has made 72 appearances for the senior England national team, once again playing alongside a wide variety of top-level players.
Now that the 30-year-old is set to feature for England in the Euros over the next month, he has taken the time to heap praise on one particular figure also in the national squad who he knows a lot about.
John Stones says Phil Foden plays football differently than anyone else
Ahead of England’s opening group game of the tournament against Serbia on Sunday, Stones said this about Phil Foden in a recent interview with The Guardian.
He said: “I think he’s absolutely incredible. First how he plays the game, so silky, playing like he’s in the park. He has brought so much to his game – goals, maturity, his pressing.
“This season has been incredible for him and I’m sure he will bring that to the tournament.”
Foden’s impressive rise to stardom
After scoring 21 goals and providing 13 assists in 42 combined appearances for City’s youth ranks, Foden made his senior debut for his boyhood club back in 2017.
Since then, the £225k-a-week midfielder has featured in 270 games for Pep Guardiola’s side across all competitions, finding the back of the net 87 times and supplying 53 assists along the way.
Stones isn’t the only England player who has shared his astonishment at what Foden is capable of doing on the ball, as Kieran Trippier described the City star’s technical ability as “frightening.”
Having helped City win their fourth Premier League title in a row this season by scoring 19 goals in 35 games, which ultimately led to him being named the Player of the Season, this backs up what Stones said about his club and country teammate in terms of him growing as a player and adding more attributes to his overall individual game.
