England still carrying ‘scar’ of World Cup exit – Saka

Bukayo Saka, England's winger, acknowledges the emotional "scar" left by the team's heartbreaking 2026 World Cup semi-final loss to Argentina. England came within minutes of reaching their first men's World Cup final since 1966, but two late goals from Argentina secured a 2-1 defeat. Despite bouncing back to claim third place with a 6-4 victory over France in the bronze medal match, the disappointment of missing out on the ultimate prize still lingers.

Speaking ahead of England's opening Nations League fixture against world champions Spain at Wembley, Saka reflected on the aftermath of their World Cup exit. "There is still a scar on us when you believed and everyone was so united and so confident we could do it. Not just us, but the whole country, we felt," Saka said. While the squad is moving on, they are focused on securing top spot in their Nations League group, with five key players expected to be ruled out.

Saka also praised 16-year-old Arsenal midfielder Max Dowman, tipping him for a senior international call-up in the near future.