CESC FABREGAS called on Phil Foden to “step up” after struggling in England’s Euro 2024 opening win against Serbia.
The Manchester City star started out on the left in Gareth Southgate’s 4-2-3-1 formation.
But he had little impact throughout the 90 minutes which saw the Three Lions cling onto victory after Jude Bellingham’s winner.
Arsenal and Chelsea legend Fabregas worked as a pundit for the BBC and singled out Foden in the aftermath.
He said: “You just say mindset? No, it’s all about the mentality,’ Fabregas began.
“You cannot tell me that players like Trent, like Foden, like Bellingham, like Rice, they don’t have the quality to hold the ball anywhere in the pitch.
“It’s about do you want it enough to make a difference and hold the ball for your team?
“Do you want to make things happen? Do you enjoy to get the ball under pressure?
“They allowed them to have the ball when they were deep once in the second half, straight away, when they started to get pressed a little bit more, we started to see Foden hitting the ball without looking 40 yards. Trent, this not like them.
“You’ll never see Xavi, Iniesta, the top, top players in the last 15, 20, years, do that. You need to take this responsibility to grow.
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“I think that the second half was a little bit underwhelming. I would say that is the right word.
“And I think players like Foden, they need to step up. This is the time for them to go into big tournament with their country behind them.”
JUDE BELLINGHAM was England’s head boy as Gareth Southgate’s side made a winning start in Germany.
The Real Madrid superstar oozed class throughout and broke the deadlock with only 13 minutes played thanks to an excellent header, dispatching Bukayo Saka’s deflected cross.
But, despite the brilliant start, it was a nervy affair here in Gelsenkirchen.
Serbia exerted significant pressure in the second half, with a few narrow escapes for Southgate’s men.
Harry Kane barely had a kick and the Premier League’s player of the year Phil Foden struggled to have any influence on the left of the Three Lions’ front three.
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Bellingham operated in the advanced No10 position behind Harry Kane, a role ex-City defender Micah Richards believes Foden could suit.
He said: “Bellingham smells the opportunity to be the main man.
“But with the quality of Foden, it’s just disappointing that we’re not being able to get the best out of him.
“He played in the No 10 role in the Iceland game. He didn’t play very well, but I would like to get more opportunities in that role.”
