There’s no doubt that Phil Foden was Manchester City’s standout performer during the 2023-24 season. The versatile attacking midfielder, who can also play on either wing, was sensational as the Citizens won their fourth Premier League title in a row. He deservedly sealed the Premier League’s coveted Player of the Season award for his outstanding performances.

Supporters have witnessed him blossom from promising wonderkid to global superstar over the course of his spell in Man City‘s senior squad. It may surprise some that, despite his rise to prominence in world football, the 25-year-old continues to wear the number 47 shirt.

A talented player who fulfills similar roles to Foden would normally wear the number 10 or 11 shirt for their club, but he’s never made the switch away from 47. There’s a reason behind his choice to stick rather than twist, so let’s take a closer look at the meaning behind the unconventional shirt number.

Why Foden Chose Number 47

Per talkSPORT, the number 10 shirt was offered to Foden by the departing Sergio Aguero when the Argentine forward left the club in 2021. However, even the lure of following in the iconic footsteps of the clinical striker wasn’t enough to convince the City ace to part company with his original number.

There’s a touching reason behind Foden’s number selection. It’s a lovely tribute to his late grandfather, Ronnie, who tragically passed away at the young age of 47. This ensures the memory of Ronnie can always be carried wherever the gracious footballer plays.

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Growing up in the city, it was always likely that the England international’s family would have ties to either the blue side of Manchester or the red half. Ronnie is said to have been a huge City fan and this further enhances the incredible story developing around Foden’s rise to the top with his boyhood club.

It’s noticeable that he has an unusual number on his back compared to the standard number 10, and the technically gifted midfielder explained why he opted against taking Aguero’s shirt number:

Just like Trent Alexander-Arnold wearing the No. 66 shirt for Liverpool, one of the hottest talents in the division is making a new number famous. Don’t be surprised if young players who look up to Foden look to follow their idol’s lead in the future. However, Foden doesn’t wear No. 47 while playing for England due to the fact squad numbers are more limited at international level. He wore No. 20 at Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, before switching to 11 at Euro 2024.

Foden Has a Number 47 Tattoo

There’s no reason to believe that Foden would be interested in changing the number on the back of his City shirt at any point in the future, as the versatile forward even has the number 47 tattooed just behind his ear.

It just goes to show how important the memory of his grandfather is to him, and that number will now be with Foden forever, even after he hangs up his playing boots in many years to come. This isn’t the only ink that can be seen on Foden either, as cameras have picked up another tattoo on the other side of his face, behind his other ear, that reads: “Sky is the limit.”

Clearly an ambitious young man, Foden has a stacked trophy cabinet already, having lifted the Premier League six times, the Champions League and many domestic cups. There are no club trophies to have passed him by in his short career to date, as Man City even added the European Super Cup and Club World Cup to their impressive list of honours in 2023.