Bukayo Saka revealed he “wanted to play more” at the World Cup after scoring a hat-trick to earn England a bronze medal against France – after Thomas Tuchel tactically left him out of the semi-final loss to Argentina.
Saka hit a treble in a crazy 6-4 win over France in the third-place play-off – which included two brilliant first-half goals in an England performance that completely contrasted from the semi-final loss to Argentina.
While England were defensive and dour last time out, the Three Lions showed quality in possession, threat on the counter and ruthlessness in attack. And many asked the same question: why didn’t Saka play against Argentina?
“Of course, I would love to have played more,” Saka told the BBC after the game. “But of course, it’s not the time to talk about out that now. I try to do my talking on the pitch. It’s done now. Move on.”
Saka scored a hat-trick against France, including two stylish first-half strikes
Asked if it’s good news for Arsenal fans to see him playing and scoring like this, Saka replied: “Yeah. I’m fit. I’m fit.”
However, despite being “fit”, Tuchel said he just “had a feeling” that Rogers would offer more in the semi-final win over Argentina.
Tuchel opted for Morgan Rogers against Argentina instead of Saka
“He did everything right,” Tuchel said of Saka. “I had just a feeling in the semi-final for Morgan Rogers that he would be involved in something special. That was it.
“The [Argentina] game was so in demand that we were forced into changes because of cramps and flow of the game.
“Bukayo showed he was a key player, that was never a doubt. I was not even aware he had a hat-trick [against France]. I lost the overview of the goalscorers.”
Analysis: Is Tuchel’s Saka call vs Argentina his biggest mistake?
Sky Sports’ Sam Blitz:
Tuchel may have got himself and his team a bronze medal and he nation’s best World Cup performance since 1966. But despite a thrilling 6-4 win over France, the questions still remain.
Saka came into the tournament as England’s standout player at right wing. If fit, he starts.
The stats that show Bukayo Saka should have started at the World Cup
Now after a bruising season with Arsenal – which ended with an anonymous performance in the Champions League final – Saka came into the World Cup with injury issues. He did not start the first two games of the tournament due to an issue that had hampered his final two months of the season with the Gunners.
But despite his injury issues, Saka still showed quality in brief moments. Come the quarter-finals, Saka had three assists in just 192 minutes of action.
Everyone knows behind Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham, Saka is England’s best, most-experienced and most successful forward player. But perhaps the most important person who matters in Tuchel didn’t – in the moment that mattered for England this summer.
Saka should have started against Argentina. Yes, Rogers provided the assist for Anthony Gordon’s goal in that semi-final. But Saka, as Tuchel even admitted after the France game, is a “key player”. What irony.
One change may not have made a difference given the other issues in the World Cup semi-final. But Saka could have helped. He has been part of an Arsenal side who showed defensive resilience all term – his ball-carrying and counter-attacking abilities could have proved useful in that tricky context England had.
England’s No 7 ended the tournament with three goals and three assists. Tuchel has ended the tournament with a regret.
It is not the only question over Tuchel despite this bronze medal achievement.
England collect their bronze medals at the World Cup
For the second World Cup game in a row, England were hanging on for dear life with 15 minutes to go. For the second game in a row, England were leading and everyone was questioning how they were going about it – especially about how they collapsed from 4-0 down to 4-3 – and almost 4-4.
Yes, the game didn’t mean much – especially given the lack of defensive quality from England and France. But asTuchel is already looking forward to the next phase of his England career, his decision-making at the back end of the tournament means he is not out of the woods.
Have England closed the gap to France?
England head coach Thomas Tuchel to BBC Sport:
“We have the ability to close it. They have the ability to open it up again.
“Eight years ago they [France] were the [World Cup] champions, four years ago they were in the final and they were the Nations League final. There is a slight gap, but we want to close it.
“I said [on Saturday, this game] is the first step to close it. We did it. We beat them. The next one is Spain in the Nations League.
Is he still energised for the England job? “Matches and seeing a team fight like this gives you energy. Sadness will come after.
“We will still feel the pain when we know that [Sunday] is the final. This will take a while. Overall, it gives you more energy than it takes.”
