England head coach Thomas Tuchel has issued a stark warning to Phil Foden, admitting the Manchester City star is not assured a ticket to the upcoming World Cup.
The 25-year-old playmaker was the lone player to feature from the opening whistle in both of England's fixtures during their final preparatory camp before Tuchel finalizes his 24-man roster. However, stepping in as a false nine to cover for the absent Harry Kane, Foden largely disappointed during Tuesday's 1-0 loss to Japan.
Following the defeat, when pressed on whether the midfielder's seat on the plane to North America was at risk, Tuchel offered a blunt assessment:
"Well, it's not a guarantee that he will come."
The German tactician noted a frustrating contrast between Foden's brilliant training performances and his lackluster match displays.
"Obviously he didn't have a lot of minutes for City recently, then he came to camp with the brightest smile and was so good in training," Tuchel explained. "And I thought he will just surprise us and will play with the same verve and excitement but, yeah, he struggles to have the full impact."
Against Japan, Foden failed to orchestrate the attack from his makeshift central role and was ultimately hooked for Dominic Solanke in the 59th minute. His international struggles mirror his recent domestic woes; he has cracked Manchester City's starting lineup just four times in their last 15 outings. Furthermore, he has been enduring a goal drought since December 14, a sharp drop-off from a blistering run that previously saw him net six times in five matches.
The clock is now ticking for Foden to rediscover his rhythm. Tuchel must submit his official squad list to FIFA by May 30 ahead of England's World Cup opener against Croatia, scheduled for June 17 in Arlington, Texas.