Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka has insisted he is prepared to push through fitness concerns and is “ready to go” for England’s FIFA 2026 World Cup opener against Croatia on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old has been managing an Achilles injury since March, with both Arsenal and England carefully monitoring his workload.
Saka missed the March international break and seven matches for Arsenal before returning to help the Gunners win the Premier League title for the first time in 22 years.
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Saka declares himself fit for Croatia opener
England manager Thomas Tuchel recently said the forward needs to be “taken care of” and suggested it was “very unlikely” Saka would “start and finish” every World Cup match.
But Saka said he feels ready if selected for the full game in Dallas.
“I don’t want to say anything that goes against the manager,” Saka said.
“What I would say is that between Mikel [Arteta] and the Arsenal medical team and Thomas [Tuchel] and the England medical team, since March, they have managed me amazingly and helped me get back on the pitch and do what I can for the team.
“I’m feeling better than I have felt in the last few months, and I’m ready to go.”
Milestone appearance beckons
Saka is set to make his 50th appearance for England in his next match. He played 27 minutes in England’s warm-up game against Costa Rica as Tuchel continued to manage his minutes.
The winger was substituted during Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in Budapest with the scores level at the time.
Forward willing to take the risk
His display in that match attracted criticism, but Saka said he accepts the risks that come with playing while not fully fit.
“Yeah, but I think as players it’s the biggest gamble, especially if you’re not feeling your sharpest. You have the choice whether you don’t play or you put yourself out there knowing that people are going to judge you the same,” he said.
“And at the end of the day, people don’t really care how you’re feeling; they expect you to deliver and they expect you to perform.
“I’m happy to take that gamble, and it paid off, I’d say, and I’m going to continue doing that, but like I said, I’m feeling a lot better than I did in March, and I’m ready to go, so I’m excited.”
England begin their FIFA 2026 World Cup campaign against Croatia on Wednesday, with Saka expected to play a key role if deemed fit enough to start.
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