“It looks like time stands still for him” – Premier League midfielder admits he was wrong about Bukayo Saka’s talent before FIFA World Cup

Brighton midfielder Adam Lallana has admitted that he was wrong about Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka's talent ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup tournament in Qatar. The 21-year-old has been a standout performer for England since the competition kicked off and Lallana has admitted that he has new appreciation for his talent.

"I have played against (him), but the view I have had over the past few weeks has given me a new appreciation of his talent.

“But, what sticks out is that in the decisive moments, he exudes calm. When you are in the final third, the ball comes to you and you are going to shoot, there can be an element of panic. With Saka, it looks like time stands still for him.

“The dinked goal he scored against Senegal from Phil Foden’s pass is evidence of that, but there are other scenarios where his composure and coolness is on point."

Lallana went on to praise Saka over the way he receives the ball, how he manipulates it, and how he evades opposition teams with his brilliant movement. The Brighton midfielder explained that he doesn't understand how the Arsenal forward is able to possess these qualities at just 21 years of age.

“When he comes deep to receive the ball, he is not hurried, he doesn’t normally take a heavy touch or run into traffic.

"He will get his arm up, feel where the defender is, and take a touch. He must be so strong because he never gets pushed off the ball. Then he releases it when the time is right. I don’t understand how he is like that at 21."

Bukayo Saka is indeed enjoying an exceptional outing at the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Arsenal star has recorded three goals to his name in as many appearances in the competition so far. Also, he is managing 1.3 shots on target every game. He also has a passing accuracy of 81 percent per game.

Saka is expected to start when England lock horns with France in the quarterfinals at the Al Bayt Stadium on Saturday (December 10).

Brazil and the Netherlands crash out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup

Who will win the 2022 FIFA World Cup?

The upsets continued in the tournament, with Brazil being the latest to suffer an odd-defying defeat in the quarterfinals. The Selecao were expected by many to earn a comfortable victory over Croatia after beating South Korea 4-1 in the round of 16.

However, the reverse happened as the Europeans managed to progress with a 4-2 victory in a penalty shoot-out after both sides played a 1-1 draw across 90 minutes and extra time.

Elsewhere, Argentina also earned a hard-fought 4-3 shootout victory over the Netherlands to earn a spot in the semifinals of the competition. This means the Dutch side joins Brazil as the first two teams to crash out of the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals pending other results.