Bukayo Saka might be football’s most polite menace — that rare mix of sunshine and steel who’ll ruin your defense, then apologize for it. On Thursday night, the winger once again danced past defenders in England’s 3–0 win over Wales, scoring his 13th goal for the Three Lions. That milestone also made him Arsenal’s all-time leading England scorer. But before you could even whisper “national treasure”, England boss Thomas Tuchel rained down the cold shower of German pragmatism.
“Thirteen goals? One-three? Not enough,” Tuchel declared, sounding like a math teacher marking an A-minus paper. “I thought it was thirty!”This was what he meant by his message, Saka may be the golden boy of Arsenal, but on the international level, he still has grades to learn.
Bukayo Saka: The Overly Potential Student.
Tuchel’s critique wasn’t cruel — it was classic Tuchel. The man is allergic against mediocrity. He is not anything different than us, he sees in Bukayo Saka, what we all see, a once-in-a-generation winger whose coolness in a tight spot is almost alarming. The movement by Saka is poetry, his death is geometry at the purest level, and his smile is a service announcement.
And yet, 13 goals in 45 appearances does feel… unfinished. According to sources, Tuchel’s been quietly working on Saka’s positional play during training — trying to coax that lethal Arsenal version out more often. “He has the attitude, the stamina, the talent,” Tuchel said. Translation: You’ve got all the cheat codes, now use them.
Bukayo Saka: From Hamstring Havoc to Happy Feet
Let’s be fair — it hasn’t been smooth sailing for Saka this season. A pesky hamstring injury benched him for three games, and Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta refused to risk his star boy too soon. “I started this season by picking up an injury, which kind of killed me a bit,” Saka admitted. The line was so honest it almost hurt to read.
Now, back and scoring in his last three matches, he’s moving like a man possessed — a cheerful hurricane in boots. “I’m starting to feel good again,” he said. “I’ve missed a lot of England games under Thomas as well, so to come back and score is special.” There it is again — that boyish joy that makes Saka so easy to root for. He doesn’t just play football; he restores your faith in it.
Bukayo Saka: The Manager vs. The Masterpiece
Tuchel’s challenge feels less like criticism and more like a rite of passage. He’s trying to carve a superstar into a legend. The Germany-born tactician knows that England’s next golden era won’t arrive on vibes alone — it’ll need finishers who turn “good” games into “remember where you were” nights.
Tuchel’s brand of tough love might be the exact spark Saka needs. According to sources, the manager believes Saka’s international form is “two gears away from scary.”Suppose: Saka working at full speed, annihilating the strongest defenses in the world as effortlessly as he breaks down the fullbacks of the Premier League. England fans may not be prepared to enjoy that type of happy anarchy.
Author’s Opinion: Saka’s Smile Hides a Serial Killer Instinct
Here’s my take: Thomas Tuchel’s right to demand more, but let’s not forget how much Saka’s already carrying. The kid’s 23 and already the emotional core of both Arsenal and England — the dependable one in a squad full of “what ifs.” His calm is sickly consummate, his modesty is verging on paranoia.
And, seemingly, although Tuchel may not sound like the kind of person who is very kind, it is a disguised compliment. Coaches do not nag players they do not believe in. They challenge the chosen ones. And Bukayo Saka — humble assassin, quiet overachiever, and part-time joy dispenser — is absolutely one of them.
Saka: The Promise of a Brighter Tomorrow
If there’s a moral here, it’s that greatness is rarely satisfied. Tuchel wants his winger to turn 13 goals into 30. Fans want highlight reels every match. But Saka? He just wants to keep smiling and scoring.Wait a bit he will achieve his goals and when he does, even Tuchel can smile (though not too much).
