Foden and Mount: local heroes renewing rivalry on grandest stage

The two brilliant talents first faced each other at academy level in 2017 and are now poised for the biggest match of their lives

Even now, knowing what has happened since, there is something fresh and shocking to them. As you watch footage of the FA Youth Cup final between Chelsea and Manchester City, what strikes you above all is just how comfortable these miniature humans look with a ball at their feet, how effortlessly they bend the game to their will. The year is 2017, and Mason Mount and Phil Foden are facing each other on a football pitch for the first time.

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