FIFA World Cup Qatar: England forward Bukayo Saka believes the current Three Lions squad possesses the right mix of talent, competition, and togetherness as they continue their pursuit of a first FIFA World Cup title since 1966.
Having featured in three major tournaments already, Saka said England’s recent near misses have only strengthened the squad’s determination to finally go all the way at the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America.
“We know there's an expectation, but what's important is we have expectations of ourselves,” Saka told FIFA. “Once you have that, there's not really much else that can put that much pressure on you. So we just try to block out all the noise, and we know what we want to achieve. We know what we're going into the tournament to do, and we keep that at the forefront of our minds,” He added.
The Arsenal winger has been part of England’s run to the UEFA EURO 2020 final, the quarter-finals of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, and another European Championship final at EURO 2024. Despite falling short on each occasion, Saka said those experiences now serve as motivation.
“For all of them, we went into the tournament with the confidence that we could win, and we came close. We just use that as motivation now. We will keep pushing, we'll keep putting ourselves in that position,” he said.
The 24-year-old heads into the World Cup on the back of a memorable season with Arsenal, helping the club end its 22-year wait for the Premier League title. England’s squad also includes several players arriving after successful campaigns with their clubs across Europe.
Saka feels the depth and balance within the squad can be a major advantage heading into the tournament. “I see strengths everywhere, and I also see a lot of hunger and passion to win, which is a great balance and is what you need,” he said.
“This team has so much talent, but at the same time so much competition. It's healthy, it's good, it's a great environment, and I think we're all thriving. There's loads of talent, loads of competition, and at the same time, we have a real sense of togetherness as well, so it's a great balance,” he added.
England’s only major international title remains the 1966 FIFA World Cup triumph, and Saka admitted emulating that legendary side remains the ultimate ambition for the current generation.
“This team has so much talent, but at the same time so much competition. It's healthy, it's good, it's a great environment, and I think we're all thriving. There's loads of talent, loads of competition, and at the same time, we have a real sense of togetherness as well, so it's a great balance,” he added.
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England is placed in Group L in the FIFA World Cup, and they will clash with Croatia, Ghana, and Panama in the first round. Harry Kane's side will open their campaign on June 18 against Croatia.