Manchester City are currently preparing to compete at the FIFA Club World Cup.
Pep Guardiola’s squad are travelling to America on Thursday ahead of their opening match of the competition, which takes place on June 18 against Wydad AC.
The Manchester club are one of two Premier League clubs going to the United States this summer to take part in the new version of the Club World Cup, and it has been reported that there is tension between Guardiola and the Man City hierarchy over how seriously the tournament should be taken.
Within the Spanish coach’s dressing room, not all players are on the same page regarding the Club World Cup, which is evident in what Phil Foden has said ahead of their trip to America.
Phil Foden believes Man City’s squad want to win the FIFA Club World Cup
The 2024/25 campaign was a tough one for Foden as the midfielder could not replicate the performances he showed the season before, in which he was crowned the PFA Men’s Players’ Player of the Year.
Therefore, the Club World Cup provides the England star with a fresh start, and ahead of the tournament, the 25-year-old has admitted that he is excited for the tournament and that the Man City squad want to be the first to win the new version of the competition.
“Speaking to a few of the lads, we’ve spoken about that – being the first on the trophy would be nice,” Foden told Mancity.com.
“So, that’s definitely the aim and, with the players that we have and the quality that we have in the team, I am pretty sure we’re more than capable of doing that. Obviously, it’s the best of the best teams all around the world.
“I hope the atmosphere is amazing – I’m sure it will be – and, obviously, to play at different venues, that’s something that I’m looking forward to.
“It’s about experiencing different things in life and, like I said there, I’m just looking forward to it. It’s exciting.
“It’s going to be something new for us that we have not experienced before but, like I said, it’s really good to have this competition.”
This is in sharp contrast to what Manuel Akanji said about the FIFA Club World Cup during the international break, where the defender stated that Man City’s players are not very happy about having to play in America this summer.
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Manuel Akanji not ‘overjoyed’ about playing at the Club World Cup
During the international break, Akanji stated that Man City’s players were not happy about having to play at the Club World Cup and that they had concerns about recovering before the new Premier League season gets underway in August.
“My City teammates are not exactly overjoyed about the tournament either. But it’s now right in our faces, and there is nothing we can do about it,” the defender said.
“If we take part, then of course we want to win it. But if we reach the final, then the time period for us to recover ahead of the new season will become even shorter.”
It seems there are mixed views on the new tournament amongst the Man City squad ahead of their opening game against Wydad, but one thing is certain: the deeper Guardiola’s men go in the competition, the more they will want to bring the trophy home.
