The heartwarming reason why Phil Foden wears number 47 for Manchester City and has it tattooed on his neck

Phil Foden wears 47 for Manchester City - and has the number tattooed on his neck - to honour his late grandfather.

England fans will get used to Foden wearing the number 11 for the Three Lions throughout Euro 2024, but he has always kept the same number at club level since signing his first professional contract in 2017.

He isn't the only player to don an unusual shirt number, with Trent Alexander-Arnold still wearing number 66 at Liverpool despite his status as a key player at Anfield.

But while there isn't a particularly personal reason behind his decision to stick with 66 - according to the club's kitman Lee Radcliffe - there is a poignant reason why Foden continues to wear the number 47 shirt.

The reason is his grandfather, Walter, who passed away at the age of just 47 when Foden was young.

The City playmaker decided to take the number to honour him - but not before asking his father for permission.

He told the Daily Mail in April: "I had a few numbers sent to me. None of them really meant anything to me apart from that one, the 47.

"That was the age my grandad was when he died. I was young when we lost him.

"I remember going to Wales with him and on a few other trips. My dad says he loved playing football with me.

"I asked my dad if he would be happy if I wore that number. He said it would be amazing, so I took the shirt number and I have loved it ever since."

Foden explained how he subsequently got the number tattooed on his neck for the same reason, and added: "It's a shirt I don't ever see changing.

"It's a strange number nobody else will go for, so hopefully in years to come when I have finished, 47 at City will be remembered for Phil Foden."

Phil Foden wears No. 47 for his grandad, Walter 💙

(via @CNNFC) pic.twitter.com/e3EwJWW28J

— B/R Football (@brfootball) January 25, 2024

The City and England star also has another tribute to his grandfather - in the form of his middle name, Walter.

Speaking to CNN FC in January, he revealed: "I don't think many people realised that was my middle name, so they were quite surprised when I posted it online to see that it was Walter!"