Saka's Brilliance Against France Underscores Value After World Cup Semi-Final Omission

Bukayo Saka delivered a performance against France that served as a potent reminder of his indispensable quality, particularly in the wake of England's World Cup semi-final exit. Manager Tuchel's decision to keep Saka on the bench for the crucial match against Argentina, opting instead for Morgan Rogers who assisted England's opening goal, became a major talking point.

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He was excellent. Bukayo is a key player for me.

Tuchel defended his decision, emphasizing that it was not a reflection of diminished faith in Saka but rather a strategic choice to manage his fitness and workload. "He was excellent. Bukayo is a key player for me," the England manager stated, explaining that he felt a responsibility to take things slowly with Saka given his history. He added that the game became "so crazy" that they opted for a different tactical approach in the end.

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I had a feeling after the Norway match that Morgan Rogers had something special to give to us with his physicality and his body in the match against Argentina.

Despite the disappointment of not playing more in the semi-final, Saka himself chose to focus on his contributions on the pitch. "Of course, I would love to have played more," he admitted, "But of course, it's not the time to talk about that now. I try to do my talking on the pitch. It's done now. Move on."

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We had him warm up several times against Argentina, we were ready to change but the game became so crazy that in the end we opted for a different option.

Saka's tournament statistics underscore his efficiency, with three goals and three assists in just 356 minutes. This translates to a goal involvement every 59.5 minutes, highlighting his significant impact even with limited playing time. His performance against France, in particular, has reignited discussions about England's selection decisions during the World Cup, reinforcing his status as a key player for England heading towards future tournaments.

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But nothing has changed during this World Cup for me. Bukayo is a fantastic team-mate, a fantastic football player, a key player for us. That will not change. He showed it again today. I'm happy for him and happy for us. He's excellent.