Bukayo Saka ‘would have loved’ to have played more at World Cup: ‘I’m fit’

Bukayo Saka “would have loved” to have played more for England at the World Cup and insists he was fit to do so.

The Arsenal winger scored a hat-trick in England’s final game of the tournament, a 6-4 win over France in Saturday’s third-place playoff in Miami.

Saka started at Hard Rock Stadium, three days after head coach Thomas Tuchel opted not to use him from the bench in the 2-1 semi-final defeat by Argentina.

The 24-year-old was rotated by Tuchel as he managed an Achilles issue with Noni Madueke starting on the right side of the team’s attack to begin the group stage with Morgan Rogers preferred against Argentina.

He ended up playing in seven of the side’s eight games, starting three of them.

“I would have loved to have played a bigger part but it’s too late to talk about that now,” Saka told the BBC after the game. “I try to do my talking on the pitch. I’m fit.”

England may have suffered familiar heartbreak in losing to Argentina, but the chaotic victory over France ensured they recorded their best result at a men’s World Cup since winning the tournament in 1966.

“We had some amazing results, we fell short against Argentina and it hurts a lot,” Saka added. “We have to hold our head high and move on to the next one.”

The failure to complete the job against Argentina, a game where England led with five minutes remaining only to lose, has seen Tuchel’s tactics criticised and his future with the team the subject of speculation.

“It’s part of the game,” Saka said of such talk. “When you lose there is always going to be noise, when you win there is always going to be noise.

“It’s how you react to it and use it as fuel. We finished strong today and that’s all we could really do.”