Bukayo Saka
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Date of birth | [1] | 5 September 2001|||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Ealing, England | |||||||||||||||
Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[2] | |||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Winger, left-back, midfielder[3] | |||||||||||||||
Club information | ||||||||||||||||
Current team | Arsenal | |||||||||||||||
Number | 7 | |||||||||||||||
Youth career | ||||||||||||||||
Greenford Celtic | ||||||||||||||||
Watford | ||||||||||||||||
–2018 | Arsenal | |||||||||||||||
Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||
2018– | Arsenal | 60 | (6) | |||||||||||||
National team‡ | ||||||||||||||||
2017 | England U16 | 2 | (1) | |||||||||||||
2017–2018 | England U17 | 9 | (0) | |||||||||||||
2018–2019 | England U18 | 5 | (1) | |||||||||||||
2018– | England U19 | 10 | (4) | |||||||||||||
2020– | England U21 | 1 | (0) | |||||||||||||
2020– | England | 9 | (1) | |||||||||||||
Honours
| ||||||||||||||||
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 23:26, 13 August 2021 (UTC) ‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 22:36, 11 July 2021 (UTC) |
Bukayo Ayoyinka T. M. Saka[4] (born 5 September 2001) is an English professional footballer who plays as a winger, left-back or midfielder for Premier League club Arsenal and the England national team.
Early life[change | change source]
Saka was born in Ealing, Greater London to Nigerian parents,[5] and went to the Edward Betham Church of England Primary School[6] before Greenford High School,[7] where he gained high grades in his GCSEs.[8] Prior to joining Arsenal, Saka played youth football for local club Greenford Celtic.[9] His parents moved to London from Nigeria as migrants.[10]
His name "Bukayo" comes from the Yoruba language spoken in southern Nigeria, meaning "adds to happiness".[11]
Club career[change | change source]
Saka had played for the youth teams of Watford.[12] He joined Arsenal's Hale End academy[13] at the age of seven.[14] Once he turned 17 years old, Saka was given a contract by Arsenal and moved up to the under-23 side.[13]
On 29 November 2018, Saka made his first senior appearance for Arsenal in their Europa League match against Vorskla Poltava.[15]
2019–20: Breakthrough and FA Cup win[change | change source]
Saka scored his first senior goal on 19 September, against German side Eintracht Frankfurt in the UEFA Europa League. He also finished the match with two assists in a 3–0 win.[16] Saka was rewarded for his efforts in Germany with his first Premier League start, in a 3–2 home win over Aston Villa.
On 1 July 2020, Saka signed a new long-term contract with Arsenal.[17]
2020–21: Arsenal Player of the Season[change | change source]
On 15 April, Saka scored a goal and helped Arsenal to a 4–0 victory over Slavia Prague in the quarter final of the Europa League. Because of this, he was named as the Europa League Player of the Week.[18][19]
International career[change | change source]
Saka represented England at under-16, under-17,[20] under-18,[21] under-19 and under-21 level.[22]
On 1 October, Saka was called up to the England senior squad for the first time,[23] and made his international debut as one of the starters in a 3–0 victory over Wales.[24]
On 1 June 2021, he was named in the 26-man squad for UEFA Euro 2020. On 2 June 2021, in a friendly against Austria, Saka scored his first senior international goal, the only goal in a 1–0 win.[25] He started in England's third Euro 2020 group stage match on 22 June 2021 against the Czech Republic, and was named the man of the match.[26] On 11 July 2021, in the tournament final against Italy, Saka was brought on as a substitute for Kieran Trippier. Following full time and extra time, Saka was chosen to take the team's fifth penalty during the following shoot-out, his first penalty kick at senior level.[27] Saka's shot was saved by goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and, as a result, Italy won the shoot-out and the tournament.[28] Saka faced racist abuse online after missing the penalty.[29][30]
Career statistics[change | change source]
Club[change | change source]
- As of match played 13 August 2021
Club | Season | League | FA Cup | EFL Cup | Europe | Other | Total | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Arsenal U21 | 2018–19[31] | — | — | — | — | — | 4[a] | 1 | 4 | 1 | ||||
Arsenal | 2018–19[32] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2[b] | 0 | — | 4 | 0 | |
2019–20[33] | Premier League | 26 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6[b] | 2 | — | 38 | 4 | ||
2020–21[34] | Premier League | 32 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9[b] | 2 | 1[c] | 0 | 46 | 7 | |
2021–22[35] | Premier League | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | |||
Total | 60 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 89 | 11 | ||
Career total | 60 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 17 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 93 | 12 |
- ↑ Appearances in EFL Trophy
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ↑ Appearance in FA Community Shield
International[change | change source]
- As of match played 11 July 2021[36]
National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
---|---|---|---|
England | 2020 | 4 | 0 |
2021 | 5 | 1 | |
Total | 9 | 1 |
- As of match played 11 July 2021. England score listed first, score column indicates score after each Saka goal.[36]
No. | Date | Venue | Cap | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 June 2021 | Riverside Stadium, Middlesbrough, England | 5 | ![]() |
1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly | [37] |
Honours[change | change source]
Arsenal
England
- UEFA European Championship runner-up: 2020[41]
Individual
References[change | change source]
- ↑ "Bukayo Saka: Overview". ESPN. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ↑ "Bukayo Saka: Overview". Premier League. Retrieved 17 August 2019.
- ↑ Dowdeswell, Andrew (9 July 2020). "Arsenal: Where is Bukayo Saka's best position?". Pain in the Arsenal. Fansided. Retrieved 8 June 2021.
- ↑ "Bukayo Saka". England Football Online. 5 October 2020. Retrieved 9 October 2020.
- ↑ Oludare, Shina (8 July 2020). "Saka: Ikpeba wants Arsenal star invited to Super Eagles". Goal.com. Perform Group. Retrieved 18 October 2020.
- ↑ "Issue 33 – 17th June 2019.pdf" (PDF).
- ↑ Watts, Charles; Clementine, Katherine (13 December 2018). "Arsenal FC's Bukayo Saka: The young Ealing-born player making his senior debut". MyLondon. Reach. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
- ↑ Ellery, Ben. "England star Bukayo Saka was a real role model, says PE teacher". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2021-07-26.
- ↑ "'I'm crying writing this': Final good luck messages for England's stars - by those who know them best". The Telegraph. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
- ↑ "10 things you may not know about Bukayo Saka – Arsenal's new number 7". GiveMeSport. 2020-07-24. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
- ↑ Hendrix, Hale (2019-10-05). "Bukayo Saka Childhood Story Plus Untold Biography Facts". LifeBogger. Retrieved 2021-01-28.
- ↑ Berrill, Lewis (9 July 2021). "Harry Kane, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho's time at Watford FC". Watford Observer. Retrieved 18 July 2021.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ↑ 13.0 13.1 Wheatley, Chris (20 November 2018). "Meet Bukayo Saka: The latest Arsenal academy star making a name for himself". Goal.com. Perform Group. Retrieved 29 November 2018.
- ↑ "Why Saka could be a future Arsenal captain". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2021-04-15.
- ↑ "Vorskla vs Arsenal". Soccerway.
- ↑ "Arsenal beat Eintracht in opener" – via www.bbc.com.
- ↑ "Bukayo Saka signs new long-term contract". Arsenal F.C. 1 July 2020.
- ↑ Dean, Sam; Zeqiri, Daniel (2021-04-15). "Impressive Arsenal tear Slavia Prague apart to set up Unai Emery reunion". The Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
- ↑ "Saka bags Europa League award after Slavia Prague display". Yardbarker. 2021-04-16. Retrieved 2021-04-16.
- ↑ "Bukayo Saka at UEFA U17". UEFA. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
- ↑ "England U18s beat hosts France to seal Limoges title with three wins from three games". The Football Association. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
- ↑ "Bukayo Saka at UEFA U19". UEFA. Retrieved 30 November 2018.
- ↑ "England squad: Dominic Calvert-Lewin called up but Mason Greenwood and Phil Foden left out". BBC Sport. 1 October 2020. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- ↑ McNulty, Phil (8 October 2020). "England 3–0 Wales". BBC Sport. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
- ↑ McNulty, Phil (2 June 2021). "England 1-0 Austria: Bukayo Saka seals win with first international goal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2 June 2021.
- ↑ "Euro 2020 - 'More to come from us' - Gareth Southgate praises England and 'fabulous' Bukayo Saka". Eurosport. 22 June 2021.
- ↑ Wallace, Sam (2021-07-12). "Bukayo Saka is a teenager who had never taken a penalty - so why was he asked to do it now?". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
- ↑ "England lose shootout in Euro 2020 final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2021-07-11.
- ↑ "England 'disgusted' by racism aimed at players". ESPN.com. 2021-07-12. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
- ↑ "PM & FA condemn racist abuse of players". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2021-07-12.
- ↑ "B. Saka: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ↑ "Games played by Bukayo Saka in 2018/2019". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
- ↑ "Games played by Bukayo Saka in 2019/2020". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
- ↑ "Games played by Bukayo Saka in 2020/2021". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
- ↑ "Games played by Bukayo Saka in 2021/2022". Soccerbase. Centurycomm. Retrieved 13 August 2021.
- ↑ 36.0 36.1 Saka, Bukayo at National-Football-Teams.com
- ↑ "England vs. Austria 1–0: Summary". Soccerway. Perform Group. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
- ↑ McNulty, Phil (1 August 2020). "Arsenal 2–1 Chelsea". BBC Sport. Retrieved 1 August 2020.
- ↑ Sanders, Emma (29 August 2020). "Arsenal 1–1 Liverpool". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
- ↑ Bevan, Chris (29 May 2019). "Chelsea 4–1 Arsenal". BBC Sport. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
- ↑ McNulty, Phil (11 July 2021). "England lose shootout in Euro 2020 final". BBC Sport. Retrieved 11 July 2021.
- ↑ "Arsenal Player of the Season: In first place..." Arsenal F.C. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.