FODEN HAS FOUND HIS MOJO

FOUR months ago, Phil Foden was in a dark place.

- BY JEREMY CROSS

And his nadir came at the end of a long and miserable season, when he asked the FA to leave him out of an England squad.

Down the decades, some superstar names made it their mission to skip Three Lions get-togethers. Tight hamstrings came to the rescue of those who viewed representing their country as a burden, instead of a privilege.

But Foden's reasoning was genuine and more troubling.

"It's been a frustrating season for me," he said. "I've had a lot of things going on off the pitch mentally.

"Sometimes there are things in life that are bigger than football."