England midfielder Phil Foden has departed from the Three Lions’ Euro 2024 camp in Germany and returned to the UK due to a family matter concerning the imminent birth of his third child.
The Football Association (FA) confirmed in a statement that the Manchester City player had to leave the camp to attend to this pressing issue.
The FA expressed hopes that Foden would rejoin the squad by Sunday, which coincides with England’s last-16 match scheduled at 17:00 BST. Foden’s departure comes as he and his partner Rebecca Cooke are expecting their third child, as announced on Instagram in April.
The couple already has two children: five-year-old son Ronnie and two-year-old daughter True.
Despite his departure, Foden played a crucial role for England in the group stage of Euro 2024, starting in all three matches including the recent draw against Slovenia. Under the leadership of manager Gareth Southgate, England secured the top spot in Group C with five points from three games.
Looking ahead, England’s last-16 fixture will take place in Gelsenkirchen, with their opponent to be determined following the conclusion of Wednesday’s final group-stage matches.