This weekend at EURO 2024, Bukayo Saka saved his country by scoring a trademark Saka goal, cutting in on his left foot and curling it into the far corner. It was a late goal which eliminated the one goal deficit, sending England to penalties. Then, in a poetic coming-of-age moment, Bukayo Saka stepped up to the spot and scored his penalty, one of the perfect five for England.
It was a particularly wholesome moment for Arsenal fans, who have stuck by Saka like nobody else. In the last penalty Saka took at the Euros, it was saved to prevent England from potentially winning the final against Italy. Therefore, it was particularly nice to see him step up and take the penalty, topping off his redemption arc.
In the EURO 2020 final, it wasn't just Bukayo Saka who missed his penalty. In fact, many forget that Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho also stepped up and failed to convert in that shootout.
It was a particularly low moment for Arsenal fans, as it could have knocked the confidence for the rest of Bukayo Saka's career. However, since that moment, Saka has progressively gotten better. He has reached a world-class status since then and it was personified by saving his country not once, but twice.
In a heartfelt message sent to Bukayo Saka on social media, Jadon Sancho alluded to the penalty miss he also made in the EURO 2020 final and claimed to be "so proud" of Saka for converting in the 2024 quarterfinal. He then added a nice touch, saying "[Saka] did it for me and Marcus [Rashford]"
"You did it for me and Marcus brother" 🥹
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) July 7, 2024
Jadon Sancho's message for Bukayo Saka last night 🫶 pic.twitter.com/fXO3E6Yt6i
Regardless what anybody thinks of Jadon Sancho, this is an incredibly nice message to receive. It shows the solidarity between the three players who were hounded by not only England fans in 2021, but also by the English media.
Jadon Sancho has been linked with a move to Arsenal recently. However, Arsenal rejected the opportunity to sign him. Sancho is looking for a move away from Manchester United this summer, understandably given his falling out with Erik ten Hag, who recently extended his stay as Man United manager.