Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has become the latest footballer to grace the cover of GQ, with the 20-year-old winger discussing food, fashion and music alongside his rise to prominence and the best opponent he has faced.
A home-grown product of the Gunners’ academy has enjoyed a meteoric rise to prominence, with remarkable progress allowing him to make more than 120 appearances at club level while also earning 14 senior caps for England.
He is now following in the footsteps of David Beckham and Mohamed Salah by adorning the front page of the men’s style magazine
Saka, who made his competitive debut for Arsenal in November 2018 and England bow in September 2020, told GQ: “Our coach would always say – even when we were young – he would look at the group and say, ‘only one or two of you is going to make it,’.
“We would all look at each other because we were all so good, we were unbeaten, and everyone was baffled, like, who’s it going to be?”
After defying the odds to become a professional superstar, Saka now finds himself lining up against some of the best players on the planet.
He has locked horns with many all-time greats, but considers a World Cup winner at Barcelona to be the finest he has faced.
Saka said: “Sergio Busquets, the way he just so elegantly turned me! [in a pre-season friendly in August 2019].
“I came at him to press him, I tried to fake this side then go to the other, and the way he just embarrassed me: I was just like, yeah, this guy is elite.
While holding his own among the global elite, Saka has scored 21 goals for Arsenal and four for his country.
He boasts some spectacular strikes within that collection, but considers an iconic effort from seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi to be the greatest he has ever seen.
Saka said: “I think I would say Leo Messi’s goal in the Copa del Rey final against Athletic Club. The one where he dribbled everyone. Now that I play, I can see how hard it is to score that goal.