Manchester United star Phil Foden has remained close to his parents Claire and Phil Sr throughout his career. His incredible gesture for his mum speaks volumes
Phil Foden’s career on the pitch may have seen him achieve worldwide fame, but he’s always shown that his family comes first. Back in June 2024, the 24-year-old made headlines when he jetted home to the UK from Germany during the Euros in order to be by his girlfriend Rebecca Cooke’s side as they welcomed their third child into the world.
The pair, who are childhood sweethearts, are parents to son Ronnie, who was born in 2019, daughter True, who was born in 2021, and their third child, born last summer, whose name has not yet been revealed. But as well as looking after his own brood, Foden has a close bond with his own parents, Claire and Phil Sr. Having grown up playing football in his hometown of Stockport, Foden remembers being keen in playing the sport from as young as four and credits his parents for allowing him to follow his passion.
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Speaking about the importance of his family in his career, he wrote in England Footbal in 2022 that his dad was “always telling me to get up and play football and drilled it into me since I was young: it was football, football, football” despite Phil Sr being a United supporter.
Meanwhile, his mum, who is a fan of Manchester City, was just as encouraging. “My mum used to buy me loads of City things, like a pencil case, a calendar, an alarm clock,” he told The Times in 2020. “I had City bedding, City posters. It was City mad.”
Having supported their son from day one, it’s clear that Phil Sr and Claire have played a central role in Foden’s success. However, over the weekend Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was left furious after sections of Manchester United fans taunted Foden with vile chants directed at his mother during the recent derby match at Old Trafford.
When asked about the chants aimed at Foden, Guardiola didn’t hold back in his criticism of those who were responsible. “A lack of class. But it’s not United, it’s the people, you know?,” he said.
Foden has always shown his love and appreciation for his parents. When he was just 18, he bought his parents a new £2m family mansion in Cheshire, which they reportedly had a helping hand in choosing. It is said that the footballer has always been determined to keep his close-knit family together; he lives just a few minutes away with his girlfriend Rebecca and their children.
While fans may know Foden for his incredible skills on the pitch, it’s not the only passion of his. In previous years he has opened up about his love of fishing, even though he admits that it sets him apart from “95%” of his other team mates. It’s a hobby he shares with his dad that he never wants to give up.
“The odd one likes fishing, so when people find out they say: ‘what a weird sport to enjoy’. They don’t understand why you enjoy it,” he told the Manchester City website. “Obviously, they need to go and try it. I think it’s the perfect hobby to rest your legs and have some down time.”
Having first started the hobby when he was around six or seven, Foden was introduced to fishing by his beloved dad. Even now it’s rare that the sportsman goes fishing without his father. “I still remember my first catch. It wasn’t very big, I was just learning, but it’s the excitement of when you get one for the first time,” he added. “I think that’s the buzz that makes you want to go again, but it’s also a chance to chill and relax and to spend time with my dad.”
As well as his eight-year career at Manchester City, Foden has played for England on an international stage at the World Cup and Euros. As a result, he says that fishing has helped given him some moments of calm away from the pressure of the pitch.
“It takes me away from the world. All the pressure with football, it takes me to a different place that I love and is just peaceful. I’m fortunate to have [somewhere to fish] set up in my garden; it’s stocked with quite a few big fish so I like to go and sit and do it there for a couple of hours each day just chilling,” he told GQ earlier this year. “It’s hard to explain. If I took you one time you’d understand it’s more than just casting a rod out and hoping for the best.”
As well as his unusual hobby, Foden has revealed how becoming a father has had a life-changing impact on him – especially when things on the pitch might not be going to plan. “It makes you feel like there’s more to life than football, if you know what I mean? Before my kids it was just football, football, football. I’d be stressed about a game if I didn’t win, but the kids now make me see further,” he told the publication.
“They just change your mood straight away and it makes you forget about whatever just happened and just to refresh your mind and go again.”
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