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Saturday's World Cup third-place match was widely regarded as a game neither side wanted to be part of. Bukayo Saka, however, clearly felt otherwise.
"Of course, I would have loved to have played more," Saka said after netting a hat trick in England's thrilling 6–4 win over France, which marked just his third start for the Arsenal winger across eight possible appearances.
"But now isn't the time to discuss that. I let my performances do the talking. It's over now. Time to move forward."
Hindsight is a powerful thing, and England boss Thomas Tuchel has experienced that reality firsthand this summer. Beyond criticism of his defensive approach in the semifinal loss to Argentina, many have questioned why Saka not only failed to start, but never even came off the bench against Lionel Messi and his teammates.
Why Did Saka Not Start for England Against Argentina?
Given the form Saka displayed as the World Cup drew to a close, Tuchel will have plenty to answer regarding his handling — or mishandling — of the Arsenal winger in the match against Argentina.
Some initially pointed to a fitness issue. An Achilles complaint had troubled Saka toward the end of the Premier League campaign with Arsenal and kept him out of England's opening two group fixtures this summer, though he still managed an assist in just 18 minutes against Croatia.
After starting the final group stage match against Panama and contributing his second assist of the tournament, Saka was returned to the bench for the round-of-32 victory over DR Congo. He then started and played an hour in the win over Mexico, adding a third assist, only to be dropped in favor of club colleague Noni Madueke for the subsequent clash with Norway.
Fitness gradually ceased to appear as the underlying issue, with many suspecting Tuchel had concerns about both Arsenal wingers — a theory only strengthened by the decision to favor soon-to-be Chelsea signing Morgan Rogers over them.
Tuchel Provides Context for Saka Caution
"After the Norway game, I had a sense that Morgan Rogers had something unique to offer us with his physicality and presence in the match against Argentina," Tuchel admitted. "It was a difficult call for me to leave [Saka] out of the semifinal.
"He was ready to contribute at this World Cup. But I still felt the responsibility as a manager, given the history of where he had come from, to be cautious with Bukayo."
Saka appeared to disagree with the need for such caution, especially at the tournament's later stages.
"I'm fit," he told supporters after the final whistle. "I'm fit."
Had Saka stayed injury-free earlier in the season and been given his opportunity sooner, perhaps the conversation would now be about England reaching the World Cup final, rather than a bittersweet yet impressive showing in the third-place playoff.
"Nothing has changed for me during this World Cup," Tuchel emphasized, looking ahead. "Bukayo is a fantastic person, a brilliant footballer, and a key figure for us. That won't change. He proved it again today. I'm delighted for him and for the team. He's outstanding."