“They are way above me at the moment. But I like to think I could be there one day” – England prodigy confident of closing gap with Messi, Ronaldo, and Mbappe

Manchester City's rising star Phil Foden recently said that he aspires to achieve the same heights of success as Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe one day.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Foden expounded on what he believes are the requirements for being considered in the same league as these greats:

“Messi, Mbappe, Ronaldo – they are way above me at the moment. But I like to think I could be there one day. I’ve got to score in big games and big finals to be world class. But I know I’m capable of doing that, so it’s something I strive for and look forward to.”

Foden will be representing England in the third major tournament of his career during the 2022 FIFA World Cup. He has previously played in the 2020 UEFA Euro and the 2020-21 UEFA Nations League .

After playing the first two games against Croatia and Scotland, Foden was sidelined with injuries and came back to play 25 minutes in the semi-final against Denmark.

He hit the post against Croatia in the opening fixture. Foden believes his tournament would have been different if that shot went in.

“The first game was very tight and I thought I did okay. In the Scotland game, I was one of our best players. But if it went in, it could have been a different tournament for me. When you score, your confidence goes through the roof and you feel like you can do anything.”

When do Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Phil Foden start their FIFA World Cup campaign?

FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Previews

The 2022 FIFA World Cup is set to kick off on 20 November. Phil Foden's England will start their campaign in Group B against Iran on 21 November. They will also play USA and Wales on 26 and 30 November.

Kylian Mbappe's France will head into the tournament with the status of the defending champions. They will start their campaign in Group D against Australia on 23 November. France will play Denmark and Tunisia on 26 and 30 November, respectively.

Lionel Messi-led Argentina's campaign in Group C starts against Saudi Arabia on 22 November, 2022. They also play Mexico and Poland on 27 November and 1 December, respectively.

Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal will play Ghana, Uruguay, and South Korea in Group H on 24 and 29 November, and 2 December, respectively.