Saka brilliant but still hard to match Mbappe and Vinicius?

Bukayo Saka, the 23-year-old Arsenal winger, has once again attracted a lot of attention with his recent impressive performances in the Champions League. However, former Arsenal defender William Gallas has gone on record to say that, despite his admiration for Saka’s play, he doesn’t think he can match Real Madrid‘s two star players – Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior – at the moment.

Saka’s moment to shine: return to highlights

Fresh from a three-month-long injury, Saca put on a stunning display in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid. In the 3-0 home victory, Saka upset almost the entire Real Madrid defense and became one of Arsenal’s most threatening players in the match. His explosive power, footwork and keen sense of opportunity left Real Madrid’s right wing almost breathless.

It’s worth noting that not only has the England international returned to form quickly, but he’s also shown a more mature reading of the game than ever before, which has led many fans to start comparing him to the world’s top players and discussing whether or not he has a chance of picking up a Ballon d’Or in the future.

William Gallas’ calm analysis

In the face of the high praise from the public, Gallas poured cold water on the situation. He noted, “Saka is indeed a very good young player and he is growing fast. But for now, he has not reached the heights of Vinicius or Mbappe.”

Gallas emphasized that Mbappe and Vinicius not only have exceptional skills and explosiveness, but more importantly, they have already won heavyweight honors in their careers, such as the Champions League and the World Cup. These trophies are a key measure of a top player and Saka has failed to build on them so far.

He added: “Vinicius is virtually indefensible at his best, while Mbappe has been at the heart of the French team from a very young age. Both of them have proven their ability and consistency on the world stage. In contrast, Saka still has a way to go, but he has potential.”

A sober comparison: beyond talent, honor is the measuring stick

Gallas’ point is actually quite realistic. In modern soccer, to determine whether a player belongs to the world’s top, in addition to talent and technology, personal and club level honors are also key factors. Mbappe won the World Cup at a young age, and also had a highlight performance in the Champions League for many years in a row; while Vinicius was one of the key players in Real Madrid’s Champions League win. The two are not only in the club is the main force, in the national team is also an indispensable core.

In contrast, although Sacca’s performance at Arsenal is stable, it is still a bit far from leading the team to win the Champions League or the World Championship. England, despite their young talent, are still a long way from winning a major tournament.

Saka’s future is still worth looking forward to

Of course, Gallas doesn’t dismiss Saka’s future. He believes Saka has a good chance of making it to the “top club” as long as he maintains his growth trajectory and plays decisively in key tournaments. What he needs is more trophies, more experience in the game,” he said. When he really leads his team to win the Champions League, Premier League and even the national team trophies, then he will be equal to Mbappe and Vinicius.”

Summary: Keeping expectations clear and walking the talk

Bukayo Saka is undoubtedly a young star with great potential, and could become one of the iconic figures in English and world football in the years to come. But we also need to realize that in the world of soccer, true top players often speak not only in terms of great stats or on-field performances, but also in terms of accolades.

Instead of rushing to praise Saka to the skies, we should be more pragmatic and expect him to polish himself step by step and step up in the most important matches. Only when he can be like Mbappe or Vinicius, in the Champions League final or the World Cup, a hammer, then it is really on top of the world.

For Saka, the most important thing to do now is not to respond to external comparisons, but to seize the opportunity of each key game to accumulate his own glory and capital. Will the future belong to him? No one can be sure, but it all depends on whether he is willing and able to walk this championship path.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)