On 11 July 2021, at Wembley, a 19-year-old walked up to take the fifth penalty in the European Championship final shoot-out. Italy’s goalkeeper saved it, and England lost. Within hours, the teenager was being racially abused online.
That teenager was Bukayo Saka. What he did next made him one of the most admired footballers in England.
Ealing and Hale End
Saka was born on 5 September 2001 in Ealing, west London, to Nigerian parents. His parents stressed education, and Saka did well at school while training with Arsenal’s academy at Hale End, which he joined as a child.
He made his first-team debut for Arsenal as a teenager and quickly became a regular, playing on the left and then on the right wing.
England or Nigeria
Because of his parents, Saka was eligible to play for Nigeria. He chose England, making his senior debut in 2020. Nigerian fans still follow his career closely, and he has spoken with pride about his Nigerian heritage.
The final
England reached the final of Euro 2020, played in 2021 because of the pandemic. The match against Italy went to penalties. Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho missed, and then Saka’s kick was saved.
All three young Black players received racist abuse on social media. The abuse led to arrests and a national debate about racism in football and online. A mural of Rashford in Manchester was defaced, and fans covered it with messages of support.
The response
Saka responded with a public statement thanking supporters and calling on social media companies to do more. He returned to Arsenal and played with the same confidence, winning over rival fans with his attitude.
Arsenal’s star
In the seasons that followed, Saka became Arsenal’s most important attacking player, scoring and creating goals as the club challenged for the Premier League title. Arsenal supporters named him their player of the season.
Euro 2024
At Euro 2024 in Germany, England met Switzerland in the quarter-final. Saka scored a fine equaliser, and the match went to penalties. He stepped up again and scored. England went through.
The kick that mattered
Footballers are often measured by their worst moment. Saka’s worst came at 19, in front of the world. Three years later, he walked to the same spot in a shoot-out and put the ball in the net.
