Bukayo Saka compared to Lionel Messi after England draw against Ukraine

Joe Cole compared Arsenal star Bukayo Saka to Lionel Messi after England were held to a 1-1 draw by Ukraine in Euro 2024 qualifying on Saturday.

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Saka registered another impressive performance for the Three Lions despite the result and came close to securing the win before seeing a powerful effort come back off the crossbar.

The 22-year-old was recently named among 30 nominees for the 2023 Ballon d’Or while Jamie Carragher has claimed that Saka is already among the best players in the world.

Cole has taken his praise of Saka a little further and compared the winger to Argentine hero Messi, widely regarded as the best footballer of all time.

‘You can’t defend [against Saka] because he’s got this ability like Lionel Messi where he takes it backwards,’ Cole told Channel 4.

‘So the defender, you can stop him but he takes it back and he’s still got the ability to whip it with so much power.

‘There’s only a few [players] – Mo Salah’s got it, Lionel Messi’s got it and Bukayo Saka’s got it. When he gets in that position, he’s clinical.’

Saka has registered two goals and two assists across his first five games of the 2023-24 campaign.

He played a key role in Arsenal’s Premier League title charge last season, becoming the first Gunners player to register double figures for goals and assists since Alexis Sanchez in 2016-17.

Saka, a Hale End academy graduate, has made a total of 184 Arsenal appearances to date, scoring 40 goals and providing 42 assists.

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