Former World Cup winner Emmanuel Petit has advised England manager Thomas Tuchel to drop Bukayo Saka from the starting lineup for the Three Lions' 2026 World Cup opener against Croatia. The Arsenal forward, according to Petit, 'doesn't make an impact anymore.'
Petit's Criticism of Saka
Speaking to talkSPORT, Petit expressed his doubts about Saka's current form. 'No – for me, no,' Petit said when asked if Saka deserves to start. 'Bukayo Saka, for me, he’s not coming out of a good season with Arsenal. We saw that in the Champions League final, he was struggling. He doesn’t make any impact anymore. I think some better players deserve to be in the first XI.'
Petit, who won the World Cup with France in 1998, acknowledged his admiration for Saka but stressed the need for honesty. 'I am a huge, huge fan of Saka, but I have to be honest. And we’re not talking about Zidane or Messi, that kind of player, who even at 60 per cent, they should be on the pitch. Saka is not that kind of player. There are so many strong and talented players who are better than Bukayo Saka.'
Tuchel's Selection Dilemmas
Tuchel will name his first England World Cup team tonight as the Three Lions kick off their campaign against Croatia. Several players seem guaranteed spots, including goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, left-back Nico O'Reilly, midfielders Declan Rice and Elliot Anderson, and striker Harry Kane. However, Tuchel faces tough decisions, particularly at centre-back and on the flanks.
The German manager is expected to pair John Stones with Ezri Konsa in central defence, a choice criticized by England legends given Marc Guehi's presence in the squad. On the left wing, Tuchel appears to favor Anthony Gordon over Marcus Rashford, while Jude Bellingham is likely to start as the No. 10 ahead of Morgan Rogers.
The right-wing position remains less clear. Saka has been England's first-choice for years, but concerns over his fitness and a frustrating season at Arsenal have led to speculation that Tuchel might start Saka's Arsenal teammate Noni Madueke against Croatia.
Croatia's Threat and Predictions
Croatia have historically punched above their weight in major tournaments, reaching the World Cup final in 2018 after defeating England in the semifinals. England legend John Barnes shared his prediction for the Group L fixture with Betfred: 'I’m going to go with 1-1. I think both teams will be okay with that as it’ll be a game that neither of them wants to lose, and Thomas Tuchel is a very pragmatic manager anyway, so I don’t think it’s going to be a very open game.'
Barnes added: 'England needs to get off to a good start, but it’s also essential for Croatia. The fact that it’s the most difficult game of the group, that probably works in England’s favour because not necessarily in this World Cup but in most, you can have some funny first matches because the teams you should beat are confident as they haven’t been beaten already, and that makes it trickier. I’m fairly confident they will go through, but I’m glad it’s Croatia’s first game rather than last.'
After facing Croatia, England will play subsequent group matches against Ghana and Panama.
