Phil Foden: Manchester City midfielder is England's best chance of Ballon d'Or winner - Thomas Frank

Guardiola full of praise for exceptional Foden

Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden is England's best chance of having a future Ballon d'Or winner, says Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

Foden, 23, has scored 15 goals and assisted 10 more in all competitions for City this season.

The Ballon d'Or is an annual award run by the magazine France Football and co-organised by Uefa, with Michael Owen the last English winner in 2001.

"Phil Foden is a very good player," said Frank.

"For me, he's the closest England get to a Ballon d'Or winner in the future. I think he has that potential, that level."

Foden scored a hat-trick in a 3-1 win at Brentford on 5 February, and they meet again at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday in a Premier League match pushed back from December, when City were involved in the Club World Cup.

Pep Guardiola's side fell behind in London before Foden scored his treble, often drifting in from the left wing to play centrally and scored all three of his goals in the centre of the penalty area.

"He influences the game in so many ways," said Frank.

"The last game he got on the end of three situations and scored three goals. He is very at good dribbling, very good at sliding people in.

"He works very hard. He seems to have a good mentality in terms of working hard. He is very good."

England have not had a representative in the top three of the Ballon d'Or since Chelsea's Frank Lampard and Liverpool's Steven Gerrard finished second and third in 2005.

Each year a top 30 is revealed, with Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham coming 18th in 2023, one place ahead of England captain and Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane.

Arsenal's Bukayo Saka, in 24th, was the only other English player to be recognised last year as Argentina's Lionel Messi won the award for a record-extending eighth time.

Foden finished joint 22nd in 2022 and 25th in 2021.

Each national team coach and captain gets to vote for their winner, with players needing to have been active for a European club to qualify.

Toney 'a master' at using body

City manager Pep Guardiola has described Brentford striker Ivan Toney as a "threat" before Tuesday's match.

The 27-year-old has scored four goals in five games since returning from an eight-month suspension for breaching the Football Association's betting rules.

The only game Toney did not score in was against City, but he played a significant part in the Bees' goal, holding off defender Nathan Ake to allow the ball to go through to Neal Maupay.

"He is so dangerous," said Guardiola.

"He's a master to use his body for the second ball, good finishing, you can link with him - he's one of the best I've ever seen [at that].

"A few weeks ago. the goal we conceded [to him]. we defended not properly but he did it really well.

"He's a real threat, he always has been."