Lionel Messi's prediction about Phil Foden from four years ago resurfaces after brace against Brighton

Lionel Messi made an ambitious prediction about Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden when he named his 15 'youth on the rise' players in 2020.

Foden has been one of Europe's standout performers this season. The 23-year-old playmaker has notched 24 goals and 10 assists for Pep Guardiola's side during the 2023/24 campaign.

And on Thursday night, the England international bagged his 15th Premier League goal of the season in what was a convincing 4-0 win over Brighton at the Amex.

As a result, Foden became the third player to score 50 top-flight goals under Guardiola while aged 23 or younger, after Erling Haaland and a certain Lionel Messi.

Messi is a big admirer of Foden. In fact, the Argentine would often ask former Barcelona teammate and close friend Sergio Aguero about Foden, according to reports.

The Telegraph said there was a "degree of fascination" around City thanks to Pep Guardiola's involvement, with eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi paying close attention to the players Guardiola had at his disposal.

It's claimed Messi and former Argentina teammate Javier Mascherano would regularly contact Aguero to ask about the development of Foden, who made his debut in 2017.

Three years later, Messi would heap praise on the England international when he named 15 'youth on the rise' players – a list he created as part of a Topps trading card campaign.

"He will do amazing things in the game," the now-Inter Miami forward said about Foden. "He has huge talent."

Image credit: Getty

Foden has taken inspiration from Messi in years gone by, copying a training technique from one of the all-time greats to improve his own game.

"I remember back in the academy and City played Barcelona [in the Champions League]," he said in 2022.

"I remember Messi and Dani Alves doing it [two-touch] from a massive distance and didn't drop it once. That's the first time I'd seen anyone do it, and I took it into my own training.

"Over the years as I've practiced it, I've just got better and better at it. It's not easy, not an easy technique to get the pass right, and obviously your touch has got to be on point as well."

Topics: Lionel Messi, Phil Foden, Manchester City, Premier League, Inter Miami, Argentina

Jack Kenmare

Senior Journalist at SPORTbible with a passion for long-form journalism. Almost 10 years’ experience across online and print.

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