With just a few days left before their opening match at the 2026 World Cup, the England national team unexpectedly received bad news as Bukayo Saka has not fully recovered from an Achilles injury, forcing head coach Thomas Tuchel to be particularly cautious.
With only a few days remaining before their 2026 World Cup opener, England unexpectedly received bad news as Bukayo Saka has not reached peak physical condition due to an Achilles heel injury. Head coach Thomas Tuchel has just confirmed that the Arsenal star is still in the recovery process and cannot yet train at maximum intensity with the rest of the England squad. This is considered a major concern for the “Three Lions,” as Saka is always one of the most important players in their attack.
According to Tuchel, Saka had to play through pain during the final stages of the recent season. Although he still contributed to helping Arsenal advance deep into the Champions League and maintained high form, the 24-year-old player could not train continuously as usual. The German manager stated: “Declan Rice has reached 100% fitness, as have Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke. But Bukayo is still in the process of perfecting his physical condition. He has not truly reached his best level yet.”
Saka was managed very strictly by Arsenal during the final months of the season, and the England national team is continuing to apply a similar approach. Tuchel revealed that the player still has to be specially monitored to avoid the risk of a recurring injury.
Despite returning to training with his teammates in recent days, Saka is not yet ready to play at a high frequency. Because of this, his ability to play full matches at the World Cup is being questioned. Tuchel emphasized: “The health of the player is always the top priority. We will bring him back step by step. Currently, Saka can take the pitch, but he still needs to be managed carefully.”
England will face Costa Rica in their final friendly match before entering the 2026 World Cup. Tuchel is expected to use a lineup closely resembling the starting XI for the opening match against Croatia on June 17.
In the context of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham, and Declan Rice all reaching peak physical condition, Saka’s incomplete recovery is becoming England’s biggest worry ahead of their journey to conquer their first world championship in 60 years.
