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Phil Foden needed just 103 seconds to remind everyone why he was the Premier League’s best player in 2023/24.
The England star’s lightning-quick opener against Wydad wasn’t just Manchester City’s first goal in their Club World Cup defence – it was a statement that the 24-year-old is ready to silence his critics.
Foden celebrates opening the scoring for Man City
The Return of the KingFoden celebrates opening the scoring for Man City
After months of injury struggles and losing his England spot, Foden looked like a man possessed in Philadelphia’s sweltering heat. He scored, assisted Jeremy Doku’s second goal with a pinpoint corner, and buzzed around Lincoln Financial Field like the player who fired City to their fourth straight title.
The numbers tell the story: 1 goal, 1 assist, and 90 minutes of vintage Foden in a comfortable 2-0 win.
Guardiola’s £300m Gamble Pays Off
Pep Guardiola’s summer spending spree got its first test run, with new signings Tijjani Reijnders (£48.5m) and Rayan Cherki both impressing on their debuts.
Dutch midfielder Reijnders caught the eye with his composed passing and classy touches – exactly what City needed in their midfield rebuild.
But while the new boys showed promise, it was the familiar face who stole the headlines.
Message Sent, Message Received
This performance felt personal for Foden. With Jack Grealish and Kyle Walker told they can leave this summer, every City player knows Guardiola’s golden rule: perform or pack your bags.
Rico Lewis was sent off late in proceedings
Foden’s response? Score in the 2nd minute and run the show for 90 minutes in front of 37,446 fans who slowly filled the 67,500-capacity NFL stadium.
The Goals That Mattered
1st Goal (2nd minute): Savinho’s cross, goalkeeper’s fumble, Foden’s instinct. Simple football executed perfectly.
2nd Goal (38th minute): Foden’s corner found Doku unmarked at the back post. The Moroccan defence stood still while the Belgian struck.
Jeremy Doku scored City’s second
Game over before halftime.
Reality Check
Not everything went smoothly for City. Rico Lewis saw red late on, reducing them to 10 men, while a pitch invader protesting animal rights and a massive red smoke bomb from Wydad fans briefly disrupted proceedings.
FIFA’s grand new tournament got off to a messy start, but City’s class showed through.
The Verdict
Guardiola brought on the big guns – Rodri, Erling Haaland – in the second half as the game faded in the Philadelphia heat. Job done, statement made.
For Foden, this was exactly what he needed. After a frustrating few months, he’s back doing what he does best: making football look easy.
The Club World Cup defence is off to a winning start, but more importantly, Phil Foden looks ready to reclaim his throne as City’s golden boy.
The Premier League better take notice.
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