Phil Foden said he was “outstanding” after the Manchester City star was criticized by fans

Gareth Southgate has thrown his support behind “outstanding” Phil Foden to be a standout player for England at Euro 2024.

Southgate also spilled the beans on a team meeting designed to guide the players through the increased scrutiny that comes with competing for England. Football legends such as Alan Shearer and David Seaman have lined up to weigh in on Foden, especially after Jude Bellingham’s stunning display against Serbia overshadowed him.

However, it was Foden who topped the charts for the distance covered by any England player – 13.2km – which earned him a big dose of confidence from Southgate as the players prepare for their futures match against Denmark on Thursday.

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The England manager praised Foden, saying: “Phil did an outstanding job for us on Sunday. Other players grabbed the spotlight but the way he worked for the team, defended the spaces, real intelligence in the way he played.

“Toward the end of the game, he held the ball for us in really crucial moments. He had half a chance in the first two minutes, where a little better touch and a shot on goal we could be talking about something very different.

“He tied the game up well in that opening period with the others. A lot happened in the game, a lot tactically to deal with. And we were happy with what Phil did.”

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Southgate pointed out that after every game, there is always one player who becomes the focus of discussion, with Foden’s recent performance attracting significant attention. He admitted he spoke to the whole squad but was particularly keen to shine the spotlight on Foden and Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Despite Foden’s impressive season, winning a fourth consecutive title with Manchester City and being named Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year, he has found it difficult to replicate that form when playing for England.

Southgate remarked: “There will be a narrative, a player, a couple of players, after every England game. This is a different world than what you experience in clubs. The players, as a collective, recognize that now, after the last two days.

“I talked to them about it. It’s very rare at their club to win a game and experience what they’ve experienced in the last two days.‌

“I have to make sure that I can guide them through that, let them understand and recognize that it’s the reality of our world, but that we shouldn’t be thrown out of the way of it. We are in a good position, we know we want to. to play better, there are many things we did very well.”