Pep Guardiola Fined Himself for Phil Foden Mid-Match Comment

Phil Foden has emerged as one of Manchester City’s most important players over the last few years. The Englishman has grown ever since he made his debut against Feyenoord back in 2017.

While he’s enjoyed a meteoric rise so far, Foden, who’s one of the best left-footed players to ever play in the country, according to Alan Shearer and Micah Richards, hasn’t had it his way all the time, though.

Pep Guardiola once decided to fine himself after an outburst aimed at the youngster during a game caused the City star to confront his manager. The incident occurred against FC Porto back in 2020 and was a result of a free-kick not being taken in the way that the Spaniard had originally instructed.

The former Barcelona head coach was that incensed, he decided to launch a tirade aimed at the Englishman, and it’s safe to say that Foden wasn’t happy about it at all, according to The Telegraph.

The Incident Between Guardiola and Foden

It caused Foden to confront his manager

The City youth graduate failed to execute a free-kick as instructed by Guardiola, and it saw the manager launch into a rant aimed at Foden. The Spaniard could be heard screaming:

“F****** hell Phil! F****** hell! You haven’t done what I said!”

The Englishman wasn’t happy at all with the way his boss had spoken to him, though, and after the game, he wasted no time confronting Guardiola. Waiting by the dressing room after the game, Foden blasted his boss, saying:

“Don’t ever do that to me again! You wouldn’t do that to other players.”

According to The Telegraph, Guardiola recognised Foden’s courage and personality in standing up for himself. He promptly apologised to the winger and even addressed the incident with the entire squad the following day, expressing regret for his behaviour.

Guardiola had apparently been encouraging the youngster to stand up for himself for a couple of years, so the move actually impressed him, and he saw it as the now-23 year old’s official transition from boy to man. Guardiola even went one further and paid a self-imposed fine for the incident. You don’t see that very often.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Phil Foden is currently the most-valuable right-winger in the world.

How Guardiola has influenced Foden’s career

The Englishman has excelled under the Spaniard

Taking charge of Man City in 2016, Guardiola has been Foden’s manager throughout his entire career, and the Spaniard’s influence on his career has been stressed numerous times over the years.

The Englishman was eased into the City team, with playing time initially hard to come by, but the patient approach to his introduction to the squad has been praised by many, with the star’s incredible performances over the last few years largely looked as a result of the way he was brought into the side.

Phil Foden Market Value (€150m) Comparison

Category
Rank

Worldwide
5th

Premier League
2nd

Manchester City
2nd

England
2nd

Position (Right-Winger)
1st

2000-Born Players
3rd

Figures via Transfermarkt

Too often, players are either thrust into the first team too early, or shipped out on numerous loans to lesser sides, and it doesn’t always benefit the talent’s career. With Foden, though, Guardiola decided to take his time, slowly introducing him to the first team, and keeping him at the club, when many called for him to go out on loan in search of regular football.

Instead, staying at the club, and learning around the likes of some of football’s greatest players has been vital for Foden’s progression, and it’s clearly done him the world of good.

After he finally cemented himself as a first-team regular during the 2019/20 season, the 23-year-old quickly became a stand-out talent for City, and he has regularly been regarded as one of the best young talents in the league and the world. Having scored double figures for four straight years now, there’s simply no denying how big an influence Guardiola, and the way he approached Foden’s career, has been for the talented midfielder.