England defeated Ukraine 2-0 in their Euro 2024 qualifying clash on Sunday evening, at Wembley Stadium with Arsenal’s in-form star Bukayo Saka turning up again.
He was the standout performer for the Three Lions in London, setting up Harry Kane’s opener after the half-hour mark before doubling his side’s lead with a stunning strike from the edge of the penalty area.
Despite England’s territorial dominance in the early stages of the game, they struggled to create clear-cut chances until Saka set up Kane for the opener. The all-time top scorer for England made no mistake with his volley, side-footing into the back of the net. Saka then doubled their lead with a fantastic solo effort, turning past his marker on the edge of the box before side-footing into the top left corner.
England appeared poised to score more goals in the second half, but instead, they simply kept the ball in and around the Ukraine box without ever really threatening to have a shot on goal.
Saka shines as England dismiss Ukraine in Euro qualifier
England wonderkid Bukayo Saka was destined for glory – as this fab photo of him as an 11-year-old ace reveals.
Millions will cheer him on – none more so than Beverly Curzon, the coach who first saw his potential.
She said: “He’s not just an England player, he really is a lovely boy.”
Skillful Saka took Edward Betham Primary School, in Greenford, West London, to victory in the Ealing Peal Shield for two years on the trot.
He was so impressive that the school retired the team’s No.10 shirt, which had also been worn by his brother Yomi and their cousins Folu and Tunde.
Teaching assistant Bev said: “When he came to the juniors we noticed his skill but he was too young to be in the football team.
“I sorted the football team out and I asked Yomi if he knew any players and he said, ‘My brother’.
“Yomi was very good in his own right, but we had a little look at Bukayo and he was very good.
“He was a cut above the rest. Bukayo was about seven and he was playing with 11 year olds. When he was playing in year seven or eight he was being scouted for Arsenal.”
The footballer pictured on a visit to his old school with Teaching Assistant Beverly Curzon (left) and teacher Isabelle Macdonald-Brown (right)
Saka moved from Ealing, West London, after signing a contract with Arsenal but still lives with his parents in a six-bedroom mansion, which he bought in 2019 for £2.3million.
His Nigerian parents, Adenike and Yomi, came to the UK in the 90s to give their future children a better life.
Saka has presented his old school with an Arsenal shirt and it keeps a scrapbook about his matches.
Bukayo Saka (third from the left) in 2013
Head-teacher Caroline Chamberlain, who was Saka’s class teacher in year two, said: “He was so lovely, very hardworking, always did his best. He was very responsible and showed a lot of care and consideration for others.
“The thing about Bukayo is that he deserves everything he got. Nothing was ever too much for him, he was never big-headed, he was very grounded.
“For me, that’s what makes it all the more brilliant. He came to visit the school in June 2019 and the children still talk about that visit. It had such an impact.
The footballer with the Heineken “Star of the Match” award after the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship Group D match between Czech Republic and England ( Image: Getty)
“He was still saying, ‘Hello miss’. Fame has not changed him. He’s still the wonderful, respectful young man he always was. He went round to every classroom – he was very inspirational.
“Every time he steps out on the pitch for England we’re all buzzing. We just want him to keep going.
“When the youngest cousin, Tunde, left the school Bev got ‘Saka’ printed on the No.10 shirt that they all wore and that has been retired from the school kit. We’re still using the kit that Bukayo wore when he was here. We’ll never tire of saying how proud we are of Bukayo.”
