Former Chelsea and England star Joe Cole has piled the praise on Arsenal star Bukayo Saka by claiming that he shares a ‘rare’ ability with Lionel Messi.
The Arsenal and England winger has become one of the best forwards in world football, despite being just 22-years-old. He was named England’s player of the year for the second successive season last week, and has found the net 11 times in 29 games for his country.
At club level, he has been just as dangerous, and already has two goals and one assist in just four Premier League games this season.
2020 – Makes England debut
2021 – Scores first England goal
2022 – England men’s player of the year
2023 – England men’s player of the year (again)I guess this is why Bukayo Saka is called a star boy ✨#BBCFootball pic.twitter.com/vnhzGWKczh
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) September 5, 2023
Now, he has been compared to Lionel Messi, widely regarded as one of. if not the greatest football player of all time.
The comparison came courtesy of former Chelsea and England man Joe Cole, who revealed just how highly he rates the young winger.
“You can’t defend (against Saka) because he’s got this ability like Lionel Messi where he takes it backwards”, Cole told Channel 4 during their coverage of England’s 1-1 draw with Ukraine.
“There’s only a few (players) – Mo Salah’s got it, Lionel Messi’s got it and Bukayo Saka’s got it. When he gets in that position, he’s clinical.”
Saka was nominated alongside the aformentioned pair for the Ballon D’or this year, which Messi is widely anticipated to win courtesy of his success at the World Cup in Qatar. Now under a long-term contract in north London, he is set to be a key part of the Arsenal and England set up for the next decade.
