Manchester City have England’s closest attempt at a Ballon d’Or winner, says Thomas Frank

Phil Foden is England’s closest potential Ballon d’Or winner, according to Brentford manager Thomas Frank this week.

The Manchester City academy graduate is having his most prolific campaign in front of goal since first breaking into the first-team squad in 2017, sitting as the club’s second-highest goalscorer across all competitions and leading as their assist maker.

Thus far this campaign, Foden has scored a staggering 15 goals and provided a further 10 assists for the club across all competitions, rivalling the likes of Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez in front of goal.

Foden also grabbed his second hat-trick for Manchester City this month after netting a treble of goals as Pep Guardiola’s men came from behind to defeat Brentford 1-3 away from home two weeks ago; the same they next meet in the Premier League.

Speaking to the media during a pre-match press conference ahead of Manchester City’s meeting with Brentford on Tuesday night, Thomas Frank was keen to shower Phil Foden with arguably the ultimate praise in football.

“Phil Foden is a very good player,” said Frank.

“For me, he’s the closest England get to a Ballon d’Or winner in the future,” he continued. “I think he has that potential, that level.”

Analysing the influence of Phil Foden on football matches, and just how the Manchester City playmaker can command a game solo, Thomas Frank explained, “He influences the game in so many ways.

“The last game he got on the end of three situations and scored three goals. He is very at good dribbling, very good at sliding people in. He works very hard. He seems to have a good mentality in terms of working hard. He is very good.”

Foden is likely to start once again for Manchester City on Tuesday night having established himself as an integral component of the club’s set-up, but whether or not he remains in a central role remains to be seen.