Phil Foden has taken legal action against an internet troll who spread false rumors claiming his child had died and another was fighting cancer. The Manchester City player, aged 25, sought legal advice to address the hoax stories circulating on social media platforms.
Foden’s wife, Rebecca Foden, also reacted to the fabricated claims. The 24-year-old, together with the England international, parents three children and felt compelled to publicly denounce the fake reports after being inundated with messages regarding the false allegations, as reported by the Daily Star.
In a statement, Rebecca expressed her dismay at the situation, stating, “We are aware of the pages and accounts spreading these stories. They are completely false and very disturbing. I don’t understand how people can make up these things about anyone, especially children. It’s sickening.”
She reassured everyone that their family is safe and thanked well-wishers for their concerns while urging people to report any posts or pages that share these untrue stories.
The malicious rumors originated on Facebook, falsely claiming that their son, Ronnie, aged 6, had passed away. Another false story alleged that Foden’s daughter True, aged 4, had cancer, created by a troll using the name Man City Fan Lover. These fictitious accounts included AI-generated images depicting Foden and Rebecca in tears, leading to his name trending online.
Foden made a late appearance as a substitute on Wednesday, helping Manchester City secure a spot in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals. Swansea City initially took the lead with a goal from Gonçalo Franco but Manchester City equalized before securing victory with goals from Omar Marmoush and Ryan Cherki in the second half. They are now set to face Brentford in the quarter-finals in December.
This season, Foden has contributed two goals and two assists in 11 appearances for City. Alongside other notable players like Jack Grealish and Jude Bellingham, Foden was not selected for England’s recent squad for the internationals in October, with the coach preferring to maintain the previous month’s successful lineup.