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Former Arsenal midfielder Joe Willock lauded England star Bukayo Saka for his stellar FIFA World Cup debut against Iran, urging him to keep up the good work.
Gareth Southgate's England began their 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign with an emphatic 6-2 victory over Iran on Monday afternoon (21 November). Jude Bellingham, Raheem Sterling, Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish each scored a goal, while Arsenal man Saka bagged a brace. Mehdi Taremi scored two consolation goals for Iran.
Saka got a lot of flak for missing a crucial penalty in the European Championship final against Italy in 2021. His turnaround since then has been nothing short of outstanding, with him becoming an integral cog in Southgate’s machine.
Willock, who represented the Gunners between 2017 and 2021, was left ecstatic with Saka’s performance against Iran, calling it god’s will.
His comment under Saka’s post read:
“When God says yes no man can say No. keep shining bro”
Saka, who was chosen as the Man of the Match on his FIFA World Cup debut, has played 21 games for England so far, scoring six times and claiming five assists.
Arsenal stars congratulate Bukayo Saka following his stunning FIFA World Cup debut
Bagging a brace, Bukayo Saka deservedly emerged as the hero of the match against Iran on Monday. The pair of goals, however, was not the only highlight of the winger's game. He also played a key pass, was always on the lookout for opportunities to stretch his legs (4 attempted dribbles), and drew two fouls. The Iranian defenders simply could not deal with his blistering pace.
His performance impressed quite a few Arsenal players, who commented on his Instagram post, congratulating him. Midfield maestro Granit Xhaka dropped a “❤️” emoji. Current Arsenal skipper Martin Odegaard hailed him as king with two appropriate emojis “👑💫.”
Sambi Lokonga and Marquinhos also left encouraging comments. While Lokonga called him “Chilli Sauce ❤️”, Marquinhos also dropped two chili emojis alongside his name, commenting: “BUKAYO 🌶️🌶️.”
Saka’s England will return to FIFA World Cup action with a clash against the United States (USA) on Friday night (November 25).
