Phil Foden has taken legal action against a malicious internet user who falsely spread rumors claiming one of his children had died and another was battling cancer. The 25-year-old Manchester City player sought legal advice after the untrue stories started circulating on social media platforms.
Foden’s wife, Rebecca Foden, felt compelled to address the fabricated allegations herself. The 24-year-old, along with the England international, is a parent to three children. She publicly denounced the false stories that had been circulating, stating that they were completely fabricated and deeply disturbing. She expressed her disbelief at how people could create such falsehoods, particularly involving children, describing it as sickening.
The fictitious accounts had surfaced on Facebook, falsely alleging that the couple’s son, Ronnie, aged 6, had passed away, and another claim suggested their daughter, True, aged 4, had cancer. These stories were accompanied by computer-generated images of Phil Foden and Rebecca looking distressed, leading to the trending of Foden’s name online.
Despite the off-field distractions, Foden came on as a substitute in a recent game where Manchester City secured a victory over Swansea City in the Carabao Cup. The match saw a turnaround for City after Gonçalo Franco initially put Swansea ahead. Manchester City equalized before securing the win with goals from Omar Marmoush and Ryan Cherki. They are now set to face Brentford in the quarter-finals in December.
Foden has had a successful season with two goals and two assists in 11 appearances for Manchester City. Alongside other notable players like Jack Grealish and Jude Bellingham, Foden was not selected for England’s recent international matches in October, with the coach deciding to stick with the previous month’s performing squad members.