Phil Foden was born on 28 May 2000 in Stockport, Greater Manchester, and joined Manchester City's academy at the age of four. A technically gifted, left-footed midfielder with a sharp eye for goal, he rose through the youth ranks before making his senior debut for City in November 2017 as a substitute in a Champions League fixture against Feyenoord.
Foden announced himself on the international stage that same year, winning the Golden Ball award as England's Under-17 side claimed the FIFA U-17 World Cup. At club level, he became the youngest player to receive a Premier League winner's medal in 2018, and by 2019 had scored his first Champions League goal — also making him the youngest English scorer in the knockout stages of that competition. He went on to play a key role in City's historic continental treble in the 2022–23 season, which included the Premier League, FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League.
Individual recognition followed. Foden was named Premier League Young Player of the Season in both 2020–21 and 2021–22, before stepping up to claim the Premier League Player of the Season and PFA Players' Player of the Year awards in 2023–24 — a campaign in which he scored 27 goals across all competitions.
At international level, Foden made his senior England debut in September 2020 and has since represented the team at UEFA Euro 2020, the 2022 FIFA World Cup, and UEFA Euro 2024. Manchester City regard him as a cornerstone of their squad, with manager Pep Guardiola publicly ruling out any possibility of a transfer.