The heartwarming exchange between Bukayo Saka and a journalist about his recovery from abuse after Euro 2020: "Thank you very much for your nice words"

Bukayo Saka recently opened up about his recovery from the aftermath of Euro 2020, where his missed penalty in the final shootout contributed to England’s defeat to Italy.

The 19-year-old Arsenal star was subjected to a wave of racist abuse after missing the decisive penalty in the shootout, alongside Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho. The trio, who were part of England’s promising young squad, found themselves at the center of a social media storm, enduring racism and criticism despite their heroic efforts throughout the tournament.

In an interview with an Italian journalist, Saka was praised for his leadership both on and off the pitch, and the conversation highlighted the growth and resilience he’s shown since that painful moment.

The journalist, reflecting on Saka’s performance since the tournament, said: “When I saw you at the Euros last summer, you were not only, in my humble opinion, the best England player, but also a point of reference on the pitch, as a leader, as you are now for Arsenal. So, what personally did you do to come from that moment?"

Saka, ever humble and composed, responded thoughtfully. "First of all, thank you very much for your nice words," he began, acknowledging the reporter’s kind words about his performance. He then opened up about the pain he endured following the shootout, admitting that it was one of the hardest moments of his young career.

“It was a very difficult moment for me,” he said. “I didn’t really know how I would come out of it. I was just taking it each day by day. I had a lot of support from family, friends, everyone at the club, everyone at the national team. So, that helped me a lot.”

But Saka also reflected on the internal conversation he had with himself, choosing to face the situation head-on. “I can either go into a shell and hide, or I can work even harder and become a better player,” he said. “If I do have an opportunity to take a penalty again, I’m going to be the first one grabbing the ball.”

That decision has paid off, with Saka confidently taking—and scoring—penalties in subsequent matches for both Arsenal and England. “It was a point in my life where I had a choice, and I think I made the right choice,” he added.