Why Phil Foden’s No 47 Means Everything — And The Tattoo That Proves It

Phil Foden’s 2023/24 campaign was the stuff of champions: a local lad pulling the strings as Manchester City romped to a historic four-in-a-row, and rightly taking home the Premier League Player of the Season. Yet amid the medals and the spotlight, he still trots out in that unmistakable No 47. There’s a reason it’s not 10 or 11 — and it’s far more meaningful than fashion or marketing.

From academy jewel to City’s standard-bearer

We’ve watched Foden grow from the slight kid with velvet feet into the main event at the Etihad. He remains the youngest player ever to win the Premier League, just 17 years and 350 days when he first lifted the trophy — a frightening marker of how long he’s been doing it at elite level.

The story behind 47

When Sergio Agüero departed in 2021, the iconic No 10 was there for Foden if he wanted it. He thought about it, of course he did — any playmaker would. But he stuck, not twisted, because No 47 is personal. Foden wears 47 as a tribute to his late grandad, Ronnie, who passed away aged 47 — a lifelong City man whose memory Phil chooses to carry onto every pitch he plays on. It’s his number, his legacy, and he’s determined to make it famous on his own terms.

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Club icon, international alternatives

Unusual numbers can become cult classics — just ask Trent Alexander-Arnold with his 66. Foden’s doing the same with 47 in sky blue. International football is different, of course: squad lists are tighter. He wore 20 at Euro 2020 and again at the 2022 World Cup, before switching to 11 at Euro 2024.

Ink that tells a tale

There’s no sign he’ll ditch 47 at City — it’s quite literally part of him. He’s had the number tattooed just behind his ear, a permanent nod to Ronnie. On the other side, another message: “Sky is the limit.” It fits, doesn’t it? A player with endless ceiling reminding himself to keep climbing.

Legacy in the making

By 25, Foden’s trophy cabinet is groaning: six Premier League titles, a Champions League, a bulging set of domestic cups, plus the European Super Cup and Club World Cup added in 2023. There aren’t many boxes left to tick, but that’s the point — the No 47 is already etched into modern City folklore. Give it a few years and you’ll see kids on parks up and down the country asking for 47 on their backs, not 10. That’s how you know a player — and a number — has truly cut through.