To ease those fears slightly, it is worth remembering that Foden’s second major tournament, the World Cup in Qatar, followed the reverse trajectory: starting out of the side, finishing in it after excellent shows against Wales and Senegal along the way. Fair enough, he would not have made anyone’s team of the tournament, but he made an impact. An even better player now, one quiet night in Gelsenkirchen is hardly grounds for a firm verdict that he cannot do the same at these Euros, at the very least.
