Bukayo Saka made his displeasure clear regarding the playing time he was granted by Thomas Tuchel during the World Cup, despite having recovered from an Achilles tendon injury. The Arsenal winger reached the final stages of the tournament still physically limited, but even after being deemed fit, he saw Noni Madueke and Morgan Rogers frequently preferred in the team. Saka was ultimately completely left out of the bench for the semi-final against Argentina, at a time when England was looking to turn the result around.
However, the 24-year-old shone in the third-place match against France, scoring a decisive hat-trick in a chaotic encounter that ended in a 6-4 victory. After the final whistle, Saka commented on his role in the national team: “Of course I would have liked to have played more, but it’s too late to talk about that now. I have to do my job on the pitch. It’s in the past and it’s time to move on.” Regarding his physical condition, he assured: “I’m fit, I’m fit.” Saka scored two goals before half-time and sealed the victory with a penalty converted in the final minutes.
Thomas Tuchel justified the player's absence in the semi-final, explaining that he had expected Morgan Rogers to make a difference in that game: “I had the feeling, in the semi-final, that [Morgan] Rogers would be involved in something special. That was the reason.” The German coach also mentioned the intense demands of the game, which required managing many substitutions due to cramps and the dynamics of the match. Regarding Saka's performance in the third-place match, Tuchel praised him: “Bukayo showed that he is a key player. There were never any doubts. I didn’t even know he had scored a hat-trick; I lost track of the scorers, but it was brilliant.”
This episode highlights Saka's talent and frustration, as despite being underutilized, he ultimately demonstrated the impact he can have on the England team. His full recovery from injury is good news for both Arsenal and the national team, who will be able to count on him in top form for the upcoming challenges. This hat-trick catapulted him into history, making him the fourth Englishman to achieve such a feat in a World Cup finals, reinforcing his status as a decisive player.
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