Guardiola praised Phil Foden for openly discussing his mental struggles, calling his honesty a sign of strength and noting his return to joy and form at Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola has lauded Manchester City star Phil Foden for his openness about the mental challenges he faced last season, describing his honesty as a sign of strength and maturity.
Foden has started the new campaign brightly, recording two goals and two assists in seven matches, though he was surprisingly left out of Thomas Tuchel’s latest England squad. The 25-year-old had earlier revealed that he dealt with “a lot of things going on off the pitch mentally,” admitting, “Sometimes there’s things in life bigger than football.”
Guardiola hailed his player’s courage, saying: “How strong he is admitting it. A figure like Phil can be open-minded and speak to all of society. Today the young teenagers and even older people struggle with that… To accept the reality, wow.”
The City boss added that Foden’s improved mood and energy in training have been just as encouraging as his performances. “Forget about the level he is performing, which is a top level — how he’s been, the joy, the laugh, his voice in the locker room… it’s enough,” Guardiola said.
As City prepare to face Brentford on Sunday, Guardiola emphasized that the focus remains on Foden’s overall well-being: “What’s important is him as a human being, be healthy with the family, with himself.”