WHAT A KICKER!
His flair on the pitch has seen Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka being lauded as one of the most talented players in football today
HE LOOKS younger than his 21 years, smooth-faced and almost angelic, but don’t let it fool you. Bukayo Saka has the instincts of a killer, ready to pounce on the ball like a cat – and his prowess on the pitch is making him one of the top players in the English Premier League.
The Arsenal midfielder scored a superb long-range goal in a recent match against Manchester United, making him only the third Gunners player in history to score against the Red Devils in three successive games.
Going into the match, Saka knew he could write his name next to Arsenal legends Thierry Henry and Freddie Ljungberg if he scored and he was ready to rise to the occasion.
“Challenge accepted,” he said before the game. “It will be a pleasure to be in the company of those two elite players, so I hope I can do it.”
He not only did it, he did it brilliantly, netting the ball in the 52nd minute, contributing to Arsenal’s 3-2 victory over United and cementing their team’s spot at the top of the league. Saka has been called “a very rare” talent by some of the biggest names in football.
“Usually it’s the wingers who are the flair players,” says former United and England star Rio Ferdinand. “They’re always rushing. Bukayo is the opposite. He slows down in the key moments. And that I find for a kid – what is he, 21? – that’s very rare.”
Saka was named Arsenal’s player of the 2021/2022 season and was one of England’s stars in his first Fifa World Cup last year. Here’s everything you need to know about one of Arsenal coach Mikel Arteta’s main men.
A SHINING START
As a kid growing up in Ealing, West London, with his Nigerian-born parents, Yomi and Adenike Saka, Bukayo was seldom seen without a soccer ball.
“He was always kicking one around outside,” a former neighbour says.
He’d also play in the backyard with his dad and brother, Abayomi Saka(23).
“We had two goals, so we used to play matches. My dad would normally just stay at the back in goal. It would be me versus my brother and if I got past him, I’d have to then score past my dad. I never let any
one stop until I won,” Saka recalls.
He was seven when he joined Arsenal’s Hale End Academy. “It was quite a struggle for my parents to get there but they always gave their all,” he says.
Andries Jonker, Arsenal’s former academy manager, says Saka stood out among his peers. “I went with him to Florida when he was an under-14 player to play in a tournament,” Jonker says.
“He was a huge kid. Stronger and faster than anybody else. He hit the ball through the net. There was no doubt about his quality.”
RISE TO THE TOP
Saka quickly moved up in the academy and was 17 when he was promoted to Arsenal’s under-23 team. “Arsenal was always the one I wanted to go to,” he says. “They had a lot of faith in their youth and my dad also really believed in them and he loved [then-coach] Arsene Wenger. Arsenal was the club in the hearts of my family.” In 2019 he made his first-team debut for the Gunners in their Uefa Europa League match against Ukrainian side Vorskla Poltava, coming on as a substitute in the 68th minute. That was all it took for him to be a regular in the starting line-up. He made his first full home debut for Arsenal a month later against Fulham, becoming the first player born in 2001 to play in the Premier League.
This year he’s said to have agreed to a five-year Arsenal deal worth £200 000 (about R4 million) a week.
BIG MOMENTS
In 2021 he made his 50th Premier League appearance for Arsenal, the second-youngest player in the club’s history to reach that milestone. Cesc Fabregas set the record in 2005 aged 17.
Despite having only four international caps at the time, Saka was the only Arsenal player named in the 26-man England squad for the 2020 European Championships. He was also named FA England player of the year for 2021/22 – the first Arsenal player to win the award since it was launched in 2003.
“He’s been an absolute star and will continue to be a star,” says English coach Gareth Southgate.
Saka scored three goals in four appearances for England at last year’s Fifa World Cup. “I know how good he is,” says England teammate Luke Shaw. “He’s an unbelievable player and still extremely young. He has a long, long way to go. But for me, at this moment in time, he’s world-class.”
BEHIND THE SCENES
Saka is full of praise for his parents whom he credits for his success, especially his dad. “He’s a massive inspiration for me.
“From when I was young, he always kept me grounded, kept me humble,” he says.
Like his parents and brother, Saka is a devout Christian and reading the Bible is part of his daily routine. “The main thing for me is just keeping my faith, just having faith in God so I don’t need to be worried or nervous about any outcomes,” he says.
His faith also helped when he faced racist slurs after missing his Euro 2020 final penalty – something he says he knew he’d get as soon as the ball missed the net.
The support of his family and girlfriend Tolami Benson (22) also helped him deal with that disappointment and other challenges in his career.
He and Tolami started dating in 2020 but have kept their relationship private and don’t even follow each other on social media.
WHY HE’S ONE TO WATCH
Saka may look sweet and innocent but pundits say he’s “a serial killer” in football terms. “He doesn’t look remotely as dangerous as he is,” says commentator Carlos Amato. “Saka’s brilliance lies in the balance and intelligence of his game.”
Arsenal legend Ian Wright agrees, saying that’s why the youngster has such a bright future. “He’s burdened with glorious purpose.”
Former Manchester United player Roy Keane says Saka has earned a spot in any of Europe’s top clubs.
“The key for the player himself is he looks like he goes out and enjoys the game. He looks like a really nice lad away from the game too, which always helps,” Keane adds.
The young star is ready for whatever is next. “There are so many good things coming my way,” he says. “I have to thank God for the blessings.”
‘SAKA’S BRILLIANCE LIES IN THE BALANCE AND INTELLIGENCE OF HIS GAME’