Pep Guardiola tips Phil Foden to prosper for Manchester City and England

Pep Guardiola has backed Manchester City youngster Phil Foden to prosper for club and country after helping England Under-17s win the World Cup.

Foden scored twice as the Young Lions came back from two goals down to beat Spain 5-2 in the final in Kolkata on Saturday.

The triumph in India caps off a summer of success for England's youth teams, with the Under-20s also winning their World Cup and the Under-19s claiming the European championship.

"What position did [Foden] play? Because when he comes back I am going to put him in this position," Guardiola joked to Sky Sports News after City won 3-2 at West Bromwich Albion.

"It is so important for Manchester City, for him, for everybody, that he played at a high, high level in that competition. We cannot forget that he played at a World Cup, so England will be world champions at that age.

"When that guy grows and plays in a World Cup in the future, he has lived that situation before and knows what he has to do. That is [good] for English football.

"To the manager, all the staff and all the players; a big, big congratulations because they need that. The U21s, the first team achieved the last rounds once and, when that happens, English football will have a step they need."

England have also won the Toulon Tournament for the second year in a row and reached the semi-finals of the Under-21 European Championships this summer.