Foden and Southgate share awkward Wimbledon encounter as World Cup omission lingers

The Manchester City star and his former England boss found themselves in the same Royal Box just days after Tuchel’s squad flew to the United States.

LONDON — On a sun-drenched Saturday at the All England Club, the strawberries-and-cream spectacle of Wimbledon provided an unlikely backdrop for one of English football’s most talked-about subplots. Phil Foden, the Manchester City playmaker controversially omitted from England’s World Cup squad, sat just a few seats away from Gareth Southgate – the very man who had once struggled to unlock his potential on the international stage.

Foden, 26, arrived at Centre Court in a sharply tailored cream linen suit, accompanied by his long-term partner Rebecca Cooke. The couple, who were spotted at Disneyland Paris with their young son earlier in the week, appeared relaxed as they took their seats ahead of the day’s opening match. But for Foden, the smiles belied a summer of deep disappointment.

Just days earlier, England head coach Thomas Tuchel had confirmed his 26-man squad for the tournament in the United States, with Foden’s name conspicuously absent. The decision, while not entirely unexpected given his patchy club form, still sent ripples through the English game. Foden managed only seven Premier League goals last season – his lowest return since 2019–20 – and started just 22 league matches as Pep Guardiola often preferred the youthful exuberance of Oscar Bobb and the midfield steel of Bernardo Silva.

“The reality is that Phil hasn’t been at his sharpest,” Tuchel said in his squad announcement press conference. “We need players who are in rhythm, who are decisive. It’s a painful call, but it’s one I stand by.”

Southgate’s low‑profile vow – and a cream‑suit coincidence

Across the Royal Box, Gareth Southgate – the man who led England to two European finals but never quite found a way to make Foden and Jude Bellingham co-exist – was also dressed in cream, though he paired his jacket with a sombre dark tie. The former manager has been at pains to avoid the media glare during this World Cup, telling friends he wanted to “stay invisible” so as not to overshadow Tuchel’s campaign.

Yet his presence at Wimbledon, one of the most photographed events on the British social calendar, made that resolution all but impossible. Southgate was seen chatting amiably with former British No 1 Tim Henman before the match, but his exchanges with Foden appeared brief and formal – a polite nod and a handshake, rather than the warm embrace of old allies.

The pair’s relationship had become strained during Southgate’s final months in charge. Critics lambasted the manager for using Foden out wide rather than in his preferred central role, and tensions bubbled over after England’s quarter‑final exit at the 2022 World Cup, when Foden’s camp reportedly expressed frustration at his limited minutes. Southgate, for his part, always defended his selections, insisting that “the team comes before any individual”.

Swiatek marches on, but football steals the spotlight

On court, world No 3 Iga Swiatek delivered a masterclass, dismantling Filipino teenage sensation Alexandra Eala 6–2, 6–1 in just 71 minutes. The Polish champion’s ruthless precision drew applause from the Royal Box, but cameras frequently panned back to the football duo – their contrasting body language a silent drama of its own.

Foden, who has won six Premier League titles and a Champions League with City, is now facing the longest international break of his senior career. He will spend July watching his England teammates take on Belgium in the round of 16, while he trains alone at City’s academy complex. Sources close to the player suggest he is “devastated but determined” to win back his place, with Tuchel understood to have left the door open for a recall in September’s European Qualifiers.

Southgate, meanwhile, has kept his own counsel on Tuchel’s squad decisions, though he was overheard telling a fellow guest that “selection is never personal – it’s about what the team needs at that moment”. Whether that was a veiled reference to Foden remains unclear.

As the afternoon sun dipped behind the famous roof, the two men departed separately – Southgate via the member’s entrance, Foden through the main concourse with Cooke on his arm. Their paths may have crossed at Wimbledon, but their footballing journeys have never looked further apart.