"Phil Foden has bigger potential than Lionel Messi"

Phil Foden has been told he's got the potential to be a better player than Lionel Messi.

The 22-year-old scored England's third in Tuesday's 3-0 World Cup victory over Wales to seal qualification from Group B in top spot.

It was Foden's first start of the tournament, with supporters desperate to see Gareth Southgate give him a chance.

Foden came off the bench in a 6-2 victory over Iran but stayed on the bench in the following 0-0 draw with the USMNT.

Since making his debut in 2017, Foden has won four Premier League titles, four Carabao Cups, the FA Cup and reached the Champions League final.

On the international stage, he was part of the England squad which reached last summer's European Championship.

He's arguably the most talented Englishman around right now. One pundit took it to the next level during a recent appearance on Sky Sports News.

Waxing lyrical about the winger, he claimed: "I say that boy is the new Messiah. He has bigger potential than Lionel Messi. Balance, centre of gravity, awareness. You have to be born with that.

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"The coaches just need to guide him to not spend his money on cars. Spend it on properties, on his parents.

"Forget the fake life. That was my advice to him. I spoke with his dad and him."

When asked if Foden can be the best player in the world, he replied: "Yes! The crown is coming to England and he's bringing the crown as well."

Paris Saint-Germain superstar Messi is a seven-time Ballon d'Or winner and one of the greatest players to ever live.

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The Argentina forward is Foden's idol, with the City academy graduate joking he'd like to take him fishing one day.

Foden's love of fishing is something he's been open about in recent years, despite people calling it 'weird'.

He said: "The odd one is fishing, so when people find out they say: 'What a weird sport to enjoy'. They don't understand why you enjoy it.

"I think it's the perfect hobby to rest your legs and have some down time."