Phil Foden v Jude Bellingham: The battle for England’s number 10
- Delve into the captivating duel between Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham as they vie for the coveted role of England’s number 10. Explore their contrasting styles and rising prominence on the international stage.
Manchester City and Real Madrid will battle evenly in the second leg of their Champions League quarterfinal at the Etihad Stadium. There, we’ll see England stars – Phil Foden from City and Jude Bellingham from Madrid. Both grab attention with remarkable abilities. Essential to England’s 2024 Euro success, both players compete for the covetous number 10 role. They starred in their respective roles during the first leg, which witnessed a 3-3 draw in Madrid. Foden shone, earning Man of the Match and scoring. Nine times this season, he has played in a similar role for City. Bellingham performed a similar role for Madrid in 24 games. He’ll be crucial in the upcoming leg.
How do their stats compare?
WhoScored, a football stats site, rates their performances this season in their roles nearly same – Foden scoring 7.84 and Bellingham 7.83. Foden boasts seven goals and three assists in ten appearances, contributing 12 goals when playing on the right side eighteen times for his club and country. Conversely, Bellingham has been extraordinary, with 24 goals (16 goals, eight assists) as an attacking midfielder, with more game time in that role than Foden. In a deeper role, Madrid’s star tends to perform better. For England, Bellingham had the first shot at the number 10 role this season, whilst Foden dominated the role against North Macedonia in Bellingham’s injury absence. Here’s what the ex-City defender Micah Richards thinks: “When Foden plays on the wing, he sometimes feels isolated. It’s much better when he picks spaces between midfield and defense. Especially when defense recedes, he can make crucial passes. So, I like him centrally.” England Coach Southgate has also stated, “He [Foden] won’t always play in the center for his club. Pep Guardiola must have a reason.” Southgate views Bellingham as a number 10 though he occasionally played deeper due to defensive abilities. City’s Guardiola praises Bellingham’s noticeable influence on Madrid. Guardiola added, “Since moving to Spain, he’s made a ‘massive impact'”.
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