Bukayo has attracted the world’s attention since he has become one of Arsenal’s best players in recent years.
Easily one of the England men’s football national team’s brightest stars, Bukayo Saka has made a real name for himself at such a young age. The 21-year-old, who plays for Premier League giants Arsenal and the England men’s senior team, is now a world-renowned footballer who many look up to as a role model.
Bukayo reportedly lives in Hatfield, so you might be so lucky to bump into him one day, but how did he end up here, and how did he become one of England’s best young talents? Bukayo has become a regular for Arsenal after making his senior debut for the club in a Europa League match against Vorskla Poltava in November 2018.
The young man was born in Ealing, West London on September 5, 2001 to Nigerian parents, Adenike and Yomi Saka and was the youngest of two children. Bukayo now lives in Hatfield, after he moved out of his family home in Greenford and upgraded by buying a six-bedroomed modern mansion with sprawling grounds. He purchased the enormous house in Hatfield in November 2019 for £2.3 million – just as he turned 18.
Bukayo – who is a devoted Christian – attended Edward Betham Church of England Primary School before Greenford High School, where he gained high grades in his GCSEs, achieving four A*s and three As. In an interview with Football London, Saka stated the importance of his father, Yomi, in his footballing career: “He’s a massive inspiration for me. From when I was young, he always kept me grounded, kept me humble.”
The well-spoken footballer has become a real sensation for Arsenal fans and England fans alike. In his first full season with the Gunners, he played 38 games in all competitions, scoring four goals and getting six assists in the 2019-20 season.
In his next season in 2020-21, Bukayo raked up a total of 46 games and seven goals and three assists. The winger’s great form led him to make his England senior debut in 2020 as one of the starters in a 3–0 victory over Wales in a friendly.
Bukayo was consequently named in England manager Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad for the UEFA European Championships in the summer of 2021. The young attacker was an integral part of England’s side, which went all the way to the final.
However, on July 11, in the tournament final against Italy, Saka took a crucial England penalty which was saved by Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and crowned Italy champions. After the final, Saka received nasty racist abuse online
Following this Saka said in an Instagram post that he “knew instantly the kind of hate” he was going to receive after his penalty was saved and said “that is a sad reality that your powerful platforms are not doing enough to stop these messages”.
Saka went back to Arsenal following the Euro’s final, and hit the ground running again with the Gunners as he produced his best season with 12 goals and seven assists in 43 games in all competitions. The talented player was also named England player of the year for the 2021–22 season ahead of Declan Rice and Harry Kane, becoming the first Arsenal player to win the award on September 23.
Saka has produced great form again in the current 2022-23 season and was named in England’s 26-man squad for this winter’s 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar on November 10. Saka became the youngest Englishman ever to score two or more goals at a World Cup finals as the Three Lions cruised to a 6-2 victory in their tournament opener against Iran on Monday (November 21).
The young talent will hope to continue his fine form in today’s match (Friday, November 25) against the USA later this evening at 7pm. Gareth and the England boys will hope to pick up all three points tonight against the Americans before their final group game against close rivals Wales next Tuesday (November 29).
source: hertfordshiremercury.co.uk
