It’s hard to ignore someone who makes a mark so early in their career. When you get to be compared with Lionel Messi, it means you’ve done something impeccable. One such young Premier League star has been a gift to English soccer. From amazing dribbling skills like the la Pulga to screamers from the edge of the box, this talent has stolen the eyes of most of the experts. A recent match against Ukraine showed how stupendous he is.
England recently took on the war-affected Ukraine in the 2024 UEFA Euro Qualifiers. The highly estimated English team had to settle for a 1-1 draw against a resilient Ukrainian side. One particular moment could have been decisive for England, but thanks to the Ukranian number 1, the game ended in a stalemate.
Ballon d’Or nominee compared to Lionel Messi
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England had a below-par game against Ukraine, but a few moments in the match could have changed the outcome. Bukayo Saka, in the 59th minute, hit the crossbar after the ball was tipped by Georgiy Bushchan. The shot impressed former Chelsea and England midfielder Joe Cole, who expressed that Saka has an ability like Inter Miami superstar Messi.
Cole said, “ You can’t defend [against Saka] because he’s got this ability like Lionel Messi where he takes it backwards.”
Saka is adept at winning ground duels and dribbling with his left foot, something similar to the Argentinian captain.
Moreover, Saka is one of 30 members chosen as this year’s Ballon d’Or alongside his Arsenal and England teammates Martin Odegaard and Harry Kane. The race is being led by Messi. This was not the first time someone compared the Starboy to Messi.
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Only two players like him, as per Joe Cole
Saka was nominated for two of the most prestigious awards in English football: the PFA Young Player of the Year award and the England Men’s Player of the Year award. The latter was his second year in a row. After the 2020 Euro disappointment, Saka raised his game to another level.
Joe Cole even went on to say that there are only two players like him who have the power to hit the ball. “So the defender, you can stop him but he takes it back, and he’s still got the ability to whip it with so much power.” “There’s only a few [players]–Mo Salah’s got it, Lionel Messi’s got it and Bukayo Saka’s got it. When he gets in that position, he’s clinical.” Cole claimed.
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With Arsenal entering the Champions League for the first time in 6 years, it will exhilarate Saka to be a part of it. Arsenal has managed to reach the final once in 2006 but never won the trophy. With Euro 2024 coming up next year, England is sitting pretty at the top of Group C. Defending champions, Italy is currently in third place, sandwiched between England and Ukraine.