TikTok personality Harrison Sullivan, better known to his millions of followers as HSTikkyTokky, has sparked widespread debate after making a bold claim about his footballing abilities, suggesting he might be superior to one of England's biggest stars.
The Viral Claim That Started It All
In a now widely-shared clip, the 24-year-old influencer was seen in a gym discussing his football training. Sullivan revealed that after a one-on-one practice session, his coach told him he was "better" at shooting goals than Manchester City and England midfielder Phil Foden.
Elaborating on the comparison, Sullivan stated, "I’m better at moving away from a mannequin and shooting into a goal with a keeper - and they [Phil Foden and Noni Madueke] play for Man City and Arsenal." This specific qualification did little to quell the online reaction to his comments.
Online Backlash and Sullivan's Defence
The clip, shared on X with the caption "HSTikkyTokky is considering a football career after his coach told him he’s better than Foden and Madueke," was met with immediate and largely critical responses.
One user pointed out the vast difference between training and a real match, joking, "‘Better than Foden at moving away from a mannequin and shooting’. Very different when Bruno Guimarães is steaming in at you though." Another simply advised, "He needs to calm himself right down," while others responded with mocking laughter.
In his defence, Sullivan posted a compilation video of himself successfully scoring past a goalkeeper on an empty training pitch. He captioned the post, "What the haters saying now," accompanied by laughing emojis. However, this prompted further scrutiny, with many questioning the quality of the goalkeeping. One comment read, "Is the keeper there for aesthetics or what," while another asked, "Where’s the clip of the static object tackling you mate?"
Context: A Troubled Year for the Influencer
This football controversy is not the first time Sullivan has been in the headlines recently. The TikTok star was recently sentenced for a dangerous driving offence.
Staines Magistrates’ Court heard that in March 2024, Sullivan was involved in a car crash in Virginia Water, Surrey. Witnesses reported his supercar was travelling "at least 100mph or more" in a 40mph zone. Data from his crashed McLaren showed he was doing 71mph at the moment of impact.
After the crash, Sullivan spent 12 months in Dubai, Thailand, and Spain, continuing to create social media content. He was eventually detained in Spain in August on unrelated matters and brought back to the UK, where he was arrested. The court gave him a 12-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, for dangerous driving and driving without insurance.
The Professional Comparison
The scale of Sullivan's claim is put into perspective by Phil Foden's actual career achievements. The Manchester City star has made more than 300 appearances for the club, winning a host of major honours. In 2018, he became the youngest recipient of a Premier League winner’s medal, cementing his status as one of the most talented players of his generation.
