Phil Foden and Kevin De Bruyne Euro 2024 criticism shows what Man City get right

It's been an interesting Euro 2024 so far for the club side with the most representation in Germany. After one round of games, 10 of Manchester City's 14 players at the tournament had been on the winning side, but that hasn't dimmed the spotlight on some of them.

There have been plenty of positives. Rodri looks as important to Spain as he is to City, Manuel Akanji contributed to an important Switzerland win and Kyle Walker and John Stones defended well as England edged over the line against Serbia.

For Belgium, Jeremy Doku dazzled but gave the ball away for Slovenia's goal in a shock result and Kevin De Bruyne struggled to drag them back into the game. Those two have a fight on their hands now to get their tournament back on track.

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There are more City players in the Portugal squad than any other, although that quartet does include Joao Cancelo who has spent the last 18 months away on loan and has pretty much terminated his relationship with Pep Guardiola. In their nervy 2-1 win against Czechia on Tuesday, it was Ruben Dias who often drove them forward when they were behind, regularly popping up in advanced positions on the right, a la Stones at the Etihad.

It was an unconvincing opening game for Roberto Martinez's side and Bernardo Silva didn't escape criticism. His decision to try and find Cristiano Ronaldo when he was in an excellent position to shoot was an example of the kind of situation you never see for his club side.

Bernardo would probably have taken the shot in that position in a blue City shirt, although Erling Haaland would have also given him a better option than Ronaldo. The 29-year-old saw a lot of the ball as Portugal dominated territory but didn't look quite as influential as he does in a City shirt, although there is plenty of time for that to change.

That difference between performances for a club side and an international side as a City player has dominated the discourse this week, especially in England. Phil Foden struggled to get into the game during the dull victory against Serbia and immediately he has become a talking point.

Cesc Fabregas said Foden needed to be more like Jude Bellingham, adding he "needs to get that personality back and do what he does at Manchester City." Rio Ferdinand said Foden was allowing someone else to be the dominant figure in the team.

Former City defender Micah Richards was more a voice of reason, suggesting England should adapt to play to Foden's strengths.

"The first 20 minutes he got into some really good positions. We need to find the way to get best out of him," he said. "We know with Man City it is choreographed with Pep and the system, and the movements. It makes me sad when I see a player of this quality in and out of games."

There is certainly an argument that the style is so well set at City and so well rehearsed that it isn't always easy to step into a new team and deliver that. It also means criticising the player is missing the point.

Foden is one of the best players in the world because he can play in several positions in that City team and contribute wherever he is. He has dazzled on the right, came of age in a central position this season and drifted in from the left when he's had to combine with De Bruyne. A couple of years ago he could do it as a false nine as well.

Bernardo is the same, a player capable of switching between the right wing, attacking midfield and a deeper central midfield role in the same game and making a contribution wherever he is. These are two adaptable and tactically smart players, who are clever enough to interpret a complicated system at club level wherever they might be playing.

That suggests the issue isn't with them and is why the Foden criticism in this country, in particular, is misguided. That is true of the suggestion he is struggling to play with Bellingham when he has combined with De Bruyne often enough for City.

The case with De Bruyne is similar. He took up the same sort of positions for Belgium, but just rarely had the options he has for City. Although with the 33-year-old there is also the feeling that things just aren't coming as naturally as they did 18 months ago.

It's also worth remembering that these are early days in a tournament. Doku and De Bruyne will expect to qualify from their group and England and Portugal are still likely to go deep, with a defining contribution from Foden and Bernardo at some point.

Whatever happens, when they return to City they will soon start to show how adaptable and versatile they really are.