In-form Foden and sluggish Dias – what did we learn from City’s Club World Cup? | Jamie Jackson
Published on Wednesday, 2 July 2025 at 8:22 pm
The summer promises to be a period of significant introspection for Pep Guardiola and Manchester City following their unexpected early exit from the Club World Cup in the United States. A last-16 defeat to Saudi champions Al-Hilal in Orlando, a 4-3 thriller that saw City crash out, has certainly provided the Catalan manager with plenty to dissect. Yet, despite the winding blow of Monday’s result at the Camping World Stadium, Guardiola himself appeared remarkably composed. His friendly wave to this correspondent during a morning training session at Manchester City’s Boca Raton camp was emblematic of a man who, at 54, still oozes energy and commitment for the challenge of elevating his side again, even after such a setback. He blended disappointment with a measured optimism, fairly pointing to how if chances had been taken then City would be facing off against Fluminense in Friday’s quarter-final.
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Among the individual performances that will undoubtedly feature prominently in Guardiola’s post-mortemthe contrasting fortunes of Phil Foden and Rúben Dias stand out. Fodenoften the spark for City’s attacking forayscontinued his impressive trajectory. His movementvisionand ability to unlock defences were evidentoffering glimpses of the creative brilliance that makes him indispensable. He wasby all accountsin-formcarrying the attacking burden with a maturity beyond his years and demonstrating why he is increasingly seen as a central figure in City’s future. ConverselyRúben Diasusually a bastion of defensive solidityendured a more challenging tournament. There were moments where the Portuguese seemed uncharacteristically sluggishlacking the razor-sharp anticipation and dominant physical presence that have defined his career at the Etihad. His struggles against Al-Hilal’s quick transitions
Source: theguardian
