Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta believes Bukayo Saka’s Euro 2020 heartbreak has made him a better player.
The 20-year-old had to cope with the pain of missing that spot-kick and was also subjected to racist abuse online in the aftermath of the game.
Saka has put that behind him, though, and shone again on Sunday as he scored and grabbed an assist in Arsenal’s 3-2 win over Watford.
The winger now has 13 goals and assists combined in the Premier League this season, which is better than any other player under the age of 21.
And asked if Saka is better for the painful experience of the Euro 2020 final, Arteta said: “I think so.
“I think experiences like that mark your career. And what you learn from those difficult moments is much more probably than if you had scored that goal.
“I think Bukayo had an experience in the summer that not a lot of players would ever have and I think it was great for his career because the football world showed how much they like him and how much they respect him.
“That’s another thing you get much more than that in football apart from winning trophies, so I think that was a big boost for him to realise in difficult moments that people are going to give him support and the club did exactly the same as his team mates.
“Then it’s about leaving him that space. What he is already doing is phenomenal and he needs that room, you know? Don’t read too much, do what you do.
“Football is his priority in life and you can see that every day in training and he needs to continue to behave and live the way that he is doing.”
