England Euro 2024 midfielder Phil Foden a 'bit-part player' says John Barnes

Liverpool legend John Barnes says Manchester City’s Phil Foden will never be more than a bit-part player for England so long as Jude Bellingham is around. 

Barnes, who also struggled to replicate his dynamic club form for England, has taken notice of the Three Lions’ attacking woes with Gareth Southgate’s side often being less than the sum of their parts in chance creation. 

But unless Southgate’s England setup mirrors what Premier League Player of the Year Foden has got at Man City then he’s never going to reach his potential, reckons Barnes.

Foden, 24, weighed in with 27 goals and 12 assists across 53 matches for Pep Guardiola’s side last season, culminating in another Premier League title. 

By contrast he has only managed FOUR goals in his country’s colours across 35 caps, two of which came four years ago in a Nations League game against Iceland. 

The playmaker has often looked like a fish out of water, including at Euro 2024,  and is destined to play second fiddle to other attackers, states Barnes. 

Barnes doesn't believe Foden will shine

"It's like having an out-of-body experience,” Barnes said on talKSPORT. “I went through something very similar.

"Sir Bobby Robson used to say to me: 'We want you to play for England the way you play for Liverpool'.

"You know what I said to him? 'If England played the way Liverpool do, then I would'.

"It's the same for Foden. Whether you put Foden on the left, the middle or the right, unless England are going to play like Man City, nothing will change.

"It doesn't matter about using him, Anthony Gordon,

Cole Palmer

... unless England play the way their clubs play, it doesn't matter. You'll never get the best out of them.”

Barnes: You'll never see the best of Foden

Bellingham has emerged as England’s orchestrator, scoring the only goal of the game as they beat Serbia on matchday one of the European Championship on Sunday night. 

"If

Jude Bellingham

is going to be the No.10, the playmaker on the ball all the time, all Foden will be is a bit-part player. Work hard, defend, give the ball to Bellingham.

"Therefore, what is he doing there? It doesn't matter what position he plays. The football, the tactics, the template of how they play, the way they move the ball... unless it's going to be like Man City, you'll never see the best of Foden."