Bukayo Saka has insisted that Nigeria didn’t do anything for him and he chose Three Lions of England instead of the Super Eagles of Nigeria because he and his family spent all their lives in England.
Bukayo Saka was born and bred in England by Nigerian parents who left the West African country to work in England. The 19-year-old Arsenal fast-rising superstar had his football development in England and played for virtually all the age group teams in the country.
Just like most English football stars, Saka has represented England at under-16, under-17, under-18, under-19, and under-21 level which makes him well acquainted with English football.
When he started making headlines at Arsenal, Nigeria Football Federation started making attempts to make the youngster play for the country’s national team. Though Saka’s parents are from Nigeria, he decided to go for England when the country’s head coach Gareth Southgate invited him to the national team on 1 October 2020.
Since then, Bukayo Saka has made four appearances for England national team. He made his first appearance for the English senior team against Wales on 8 October 2020. The game ended 3-0 in favor of England.
Due to how huge he has become at Arsenal, some fans of Nigerian football have never stopped lamenting about how Saka snubbed Nigeria for England. They argued that Saka should not have abandoned his ancestral home.
Recently, the versatile Arsenal’s star was made to discuss his decision to choose England over Nigeria, and the youngster stressed that it would have been hard for him to adapt to Nigeria’s system.
“Choosing Nigeria over England would be a tough decision”, Saka said. “My whole family has been in England like forever, it would be very strange for me to adapt to an environment that I had never been in since growing up.
“It’s like when you lived with your stepfather since a young age then your biological father appears when you are already brought up by your stepfather and invested everything in your life, you cannot just say I am going to my biological father who was never there for you.”
Bukayo Saka is currently the most exciting football star at Arsenal especially this season. So far in the 2020-2021 season, the 19-year-old English football star has scored 5 Premier League goals and provided 3 assists in 23 games. He has scored a total of 6 goals and provided 7 assists in 32 games in all competitions this season.
His form has attracted a series of accolades to him, one of which was a multi-year deal with British sportswear making company New Balance.
Recently, Saka took to social media to share pictures taken by his brother after signing the endorsement deal with the sportswear-making company.
“It feels amazing to have a brand like New Balance behind me,” Saka said. “Working with the team and having my family involved has been a great experience so far, and it’s only just starting.
“It’s been a special season with Arsenal and England and I’m excited about what the future can bring for my game and now also with New Balance.”
Now with @NBFootball , officially 😜🌶#NBFootball pic.twitter.com/OH1ymaY14l
— Bukayo Saka (@BukayoSaka87) March 9, 2021
