English Premier League (EPL) club Manchester City has become one of European soccer’s most dominant teams since being acquired in 2008 by the UAE Investment and Development Group, led by the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s ruler, Sheikh Mansour, who has spent “oil money” on a star-studded roster. The UAE Investment and Development Group has spent more than €2.5 billion (about $3.6 trillion) on player transfers. But City have their own franchise stars who have come through the youth ranks. That’s striker Phil Foden (24-England).
Foden was born in Stockport, a city in the Greater Manchester area, and his grandfather, an avid City supporter, inspired him to follow the club from an early age. He joined City’s youth team in 2009 at the age of nine, and unlike many big club prospects who are sent out on loan to weaker teams to gain experience, he progressed through the ranks at City and made his professional debut in November 2017, wearing the number 47 shirt.
While most young players wear a back number of 30 or higher when they first break into the first team, and then switch to a number between 1 and 20 as they move up the ranks, 토토사이트 Foden had the opportunity to wear the number 10 when Sergio Aguero (36-retired) left the club in the summer of 2021, but he chose to keep the number 47, symbolizing the team’s ace. The number honors his grandfather, who passed away at age 47. Foden also named her oldest child, born in 2019, Roni, after her grandfather.
To endear yourself to local fans, you need to play in rivalries.
Foden was the star of the Manchester derby on April 4 (local time). He scored two goals in the 27th round of the 2023-2024 EPL against Manchester United to lead the Red Devils to a 3-1 victory. His 10th and 11th goals in the EPL marked his second consecutive season with double-digit goals in the league and moved him into a tie for eighth place on the all-time goalscoring list.
City fell behind early, conceding a mid-range goal to United forward Marcus Rashford in the eighth minute. After several attacks failed to find the back of the net, City equalized in the 11th minute of the second half when Foden found the back of the net with an unstoppable left-footed strike from the penalty spot. With momentum in his favor, 파워볼실시간 Foden celebrated his goal in the 35th minute with a “sniper” pose after breaking into the penalty box and slotting home the winner with his left foot.
EPL leading scorer Eling Holan (24, Norway) completed the 3-1 victory with his 18th goal of the league in stoppage time. The win was City’s third straight over United (including the FA Cup) and moved them to 62 points (19 W, 5 D, 3 L), closing in on EPL leader Liverpool (63 points). “Foden is the best player in the EPL at the moment,” City manager Pep Guardiola, 53, said.