Is Manchester City's prodigy severely overrated? England's 22-game goal drought, Foden may miss the World Cup.

Most fans believe England's players are somewhat inflated in valuation. In a recent friendly match, England lost 0-1 to Japan at home. In that match, England had as many as 19 shots, more than double Japan's 7 shots, but England's forwards lacked potency, failing to score despite dominating the game, ultimately losing to an Asian team at home. Foden started and played for 59 minutes, continuing his streak of failing to score. Since October 2022, Foden has failed to score for England in 22 consecutive matches. A forward's primary task is to score goals; with Foden's 22-game goal drought, the Three Lions may no longer have a place for him.

It can be said that Manchester City's prodigy Foden, during this international match window, not only received Tuchel's call-up but also played in England's matches against Uruguay and Japan. However, Foden performed averagely, essentially continuing his poor form from club play into the national team. This was Tuchel's final international match window for selecting England's 2026 World Cup squad; players who performed poorly are unlikely to make the final list for England's 2026 USA-Canada-Mexico World Cup.

Foden is currently 25 years old, typically the prime age for a professional player, but this season his form has been poor. In 26 Premier League appearances, he scored only 7 goals; in 7 Champions League matches, he scored 2 goals. His market value has also dropped to 80 million euros, still considered inflated. It can be argued that Foden is a system player; without De Bruyne and a high-performing Rodri, his performances at Manchester City have also remained consistently poor.

Personal opinion: Foden is not effective as an attacking midfielder, even less so as a false nine, and as a winger he lacks breakthrough ability. Tuchel is a very pragmatic coach. If Foden cannot improve his form at Manchester City by the end of this season, his dream of playing in the 2026 World Cup will essentially be shattered.