It was supposed to be the game nobody wanted to play. A World Cup third-place match between two sides still licking their wounds from semi-final heartbreak. Instead, it became one of the greatest spectacles in tournament history.
Bukayo Saka scored a hat trick as England thrashed France 6-4 in Miami on Saturday, delivering a 10-goal thriller that hasn’t been matched at a World Cup since 1982. And for Arsenal fans? It was the ultimate vindication of a decision made five months earlier.
From Achilles Doubt to World Cup Hero
Saka’s road to that hat trick was anything but smooth. He entered the tournament carrying an Achilles problem that had nagged him since March. He’d played through the pain for Arsenal down the stretch, helping them clinch their first Premier League title in 22 years. Then he gutted it out through a Champions League final loss to PSG on penalties.
By the time the World Cup kicked off, his body was running on fumes.
England boss Thomas Tuchel acknowledged as much during the tournament. He admitted the winger wasn’t at full fitness and needed careful handling.
“He was ready to go in the World Cup, but I felt the responsibility as a coach, with the history of where he came from, to take it slow with Bukayo,” Tuchel said after the France match.
That cautious approach saw Saka benched for the semi-final against Argentina. He didn’t play a single minute as England fell short. Critics pounced. Questions swirled. Was Saka finished at international level? Had Arsenal’s gruelling season broken him?
His answer against France was emphatic. Two first-half goals — one a tap-in, the other a brilliant strike from the edge of the box — before a coolly converted 87th-minute penalty to complete the hat trick.
“I have to do my talking on the pitch,” Saka told reporters afterwards. “It’s done now and move on.”
When pressed about his Achilles, he kept it blunt: “I’m fit, I’m fit.”
Why Arsenal’s February Gamble Looks Smarter Than Ever
Back in February, Arsenal tied Saka down to a new contract running until 2030. The deal reportedly makes him the club’s highest-paid player, earning in excess of £300,000 per week — a rise of more than £100,000 on his previous terms.
Some questioned the timing and the price tag. After all, Saka had dealt with:
- A hamstring tear in December 2024 that required surgery
- A lingering Achilles issue from early 2026
- Heavy workloads across three consecutive title-chasing seasons
But the numbers don’t lie. Since his debut in 2019, he’s racked up nearly 300 appearances, 77 goals, and 78 assists. He’s won consecutive England Player of the Year awards. And he’s now the joint-record holder for most assists by an Arsenal player at a single World Cup.
Sky Sports reported that clubs across Europe had been monitoring his contract situation before the extension. Arsenal moved decisively, and Saturday’s performance in Miami showed exactly why.
What Happens Next for Saka and Arsenal
Here’s where it gets tricky for Mikel Arteta. Saka won’t get much of a summer break. England’s tournament ran right to the final weekend, and Arsenal’s pre-season looms.
The Achilles concern hasn’t fully disappeared, no matter what Saka says publicly. Tuchel himself confirmed that Arsenal and Saka had jointly decided to let him play through pain and discomfort at the end of the domestic season.
That workload is a genuine worry. Arsenal learned the hard way in previous campaigns what happens when Saka goes down. The addition of Noni Madueke from Chelsea gives Arteta a genuine right-wing alternative, but there’s no replacing what Saka brings when he’s at his best.
Can Arsenal manage his minutes more carefully next season? Will the Achilles hold up through another Premier League and Champions League campaign? These are questions that matter far more than any transfer rumour.
For now, though, the story is a good one. Arsenal’s star man delivered on the biggest stage, earning Player of the Match in a World Cup classic. He’s signed up until 2030. He’s 24 years old.
The best, you’d hope, is still to come.
