A letter to Bukayo Saka…
When the nation and majority of England players looked for inspiration, Bukayo Saka was the only one who stepped up.
A 19-year-old, riding millions of expectations. It just doesn’t feel right. Kids of a similar age usually have expectations of their parents or even just one parent.
But our star boy is special. He isn’t one of those kids. He isn’t one of those who try to hide when the going gets tough. Saka is not what you will say a ‘talented kid.’ He is much more than that. Arsenal fans have known it for some time. Now the whole world has come to know it!
The teenager has already achieved more in his short life than most people will do in their lifetime.
Ever since he kicked the ball for Arsenal’s first team in September 2019 against German side Frankfurt, he has been a breath of fresh air. Arsenal have looked insipid at times, but that cannot be said of Saka, whose incessant determination picked the North London outfit countless times in the last campaign.
The Englishman has always tried his best and given his all for his boyhood club Arsenal as well as the England national team. Until the final, he was already exceeding people’s expectations by being the first teenager to play in a major semifinal for England.
After the final, he has surpassed all those limits to become an icon in world football. Although some would slate him after yesterday night’s penalty miss and some would even racially abuse him on social media. But only the most genuine England and Arsenal fans would realize how huge the pressure was on him when he walked from the center of pitch to the penalty spot all alone, in front of a packed Wembley Stadium, and a million others rooted to their TVs.
Although nights will be hard to pass by for Saka for a few days, the England international can be certain of one thing: He can achieve everything that there is to achieve in what we like to call ‘The Beautiful Game.’
He’s unstoppable and a few disparaging comments won’t shake him, as Arsenal fans have already known for some time…
Yash Bisht