Arsenal attacker Bukayo Saka has been crowned the England Men’s Player of the Year for the 2022-23 campaign, scooping the accolade for the second time in a row.
Amid another strong domestic campaign with the Gunners during their unexpected Premier League title charge, the winger continued to go from strength to strength in an England jersey.
A regular starter for Gareth Southgate during the 2022 World Cup, Saka came up with three goals in Qatar and won a penalty for Harry Kane to convert in their quarter-final defeat to France.
Since the turn of the year, Saka has played his part in four successive Euro 2024 qualifying victories for the Three Lions, firstly scoring and setting up Kane in a 2-0 win over Ukraine in March.
The Arsenal youth product then lit up Old Trafford with his first career hat-trick in a 7-0 thrashing of North Macedonia in June, becoming the first Gunners player to do so for England’s men’s team since Theo Walcott against Croatia in 2008.
All in all, Saka’s record for England now stands at 11 goals and seven assists from 28 appearances across all competitions, and the attacker – who turned 22 on Tuesday – has been rewarded for his endeavours with a second successive Men’s Player of the Year prize.
The attacker won the award over Declan Rice and Kane in the 2021-22 season, and the latter has also placed third this time around, with Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham in second.
“I’m really grateful, thank you to everyone that made this happen,” Saka told England’s media channels upon being presented with the trophy by Tottenham Hotspur’s James Maddison. “It’s a nice birthday gift as well so I’m happy.”
Saka remains the only Arsenal representative to have been named England’s Men’s Player of the Year since the award’s inception in 2003, while only Danny Welbeck (second in 2014) and Walcott (third in 2008) have previously made the top three.
In addition, the 22-year-old has become just the fourth man to scoop the award two years running, with Kane being the last English player to do so in 2017 and 2018.
Wayne Rooney achieved the feat on two occasions – taking home the accolade in 2008, 2009, 2014 and 2015 – prior to which Frank Lampard won the 2004 and 2005 prizes.
Saka and England are currently gearing up for Saturday’s Euro 2024 qualifier with Ukraine and their 150th Anniversary Heritage match versus Scotland on September 12, although the Arsenal protege did not train with the team on Tuesday.
Chelsea’s Levi Colwill and Newcastle United’s Callum Wilson also remained inside the facilities, but the trio’s absences are only believed to have been precautionary.
