Euro 2024: Rio Ferdinand says England's Phil Foden needs to copy Paul Scholes, who 'demanded the ball'

Rio Ferdinand told Phil Foden to copy Paul Scholes, who “demanded the ball,” after the England midfielder struggled to impose himself against Serbia.

England won their opening group game at Euro 2024 with a 1-0 victory, courtesy of a 13th-minute header from Jude Bellingham.

The Real Madrid man’s player-of-the-match performance earned him plaudits in contrast to Foden, who struggled to match his influential display.

Speaking on the BBC, former City and England defender Micah Richards suggested the team needed to be set up to bring Foden closer to the action.

He said: “The first 20 minutes he got in some really good positions, but we need to find a way to get the best out of him. He wasn’t involved.  At Manchester City we know it’s choreographed with Pep [Guardiola] and the movement, and the system, and all those things. It makes me sad when we see a player of his quality, in and out of games. 

“He’s playing with [Kieran] Trippier, who is right-footed. He needs [Luke] Shaw so he can get that overlap with those combinations. It’s just sad to see. This season he’s been immense. The stuff that he’s doing for Man City, we need to see for England.

“It’s a conundrum. At the moment, Bellingham smells and feels the moment to be the main man.”

Cesc Fabregas laid some blame at the player’s feet for failing to force his way into the match, explaining: “I agree, but the same way you see Jude imposing himself, wanting the ball, getting in the opponents' faces. 

“This class, you know?  He needs to do that himself as well. A player of this level, this talent, doesn’t need to be told by his coach. It showed that Jude is a little bit above him in this regard.”

Ferdinand looked back to Scholes, his old team-mate at Manchester United, as an example for Foden to follow.

Instead of drastically changing his personality on the pitch, he said confidence and his positioning could get him more time on the ball.

He explained: “Jude came into this team and his body language said, ‘Give me the ball, or I will go nuts.’ That’s his attitude.

“I think Phil’s personality isn’t that, and is allowing another personality to be dominant in this team. I think Phil should be saying, ‘Give me the ball,’ running and demanding the ball. It’s not about the personality off the pitch. 

“Scholes was the quietest player I played with, but his persona, the way he demanded the ball, the positions he took, you had to give him the ball.”
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