Bukayo Saka's World Cup Status Takes Uncertain Turn Before Ghana Game
Bukayo Saka's status has become a real concern for the England national team ahead of their World Cup group-stage match against the Ghana national team. England made a strong start to the tournament with their win over the Croatia national team, and Saka played an important role in helping Thomas Tuchel's side get off on the right foot.
But with the second game now approaching, Tuchel has admitted that the Arsenal winger may not be ready to start against Ghana. It is not the update England fans would have wanted, especially with momentum building after the opener, and it leaves Tuchel with a big decision to make on the right side of his attack.
The interesting part is that Saka does not appear to be completely out of the picture. This sounds more like a careful balancing act than a full injury crisis. Tuchel knows he has a long tournament to think about, and pushing a player too hard in June can become a major problem if England are still playing deep into July.
Bukayo Saka a doubt to face Ghana
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) June 19, 2026
England head coach Thomas Tuchel has hinted that the player is unlikely to be in contention to start Tuesday's match. pic.twitter.com/o3J67PIjOl
Saka, for his part, seems willing to take the risk. He has spoken like someone who wants to be on the pitch, even if that means managing some discomfort. That is usually what top players do in big tournaments, but managers have to think beyond one match.
Tuchel's comments suggest he is looking at the group stage in stages. Rather than demanding too much too soon, England may try to build Saka up gradually and have him closer to full speed by the time the games become more unforgiving.
That approach is easier because England is not short of wide options. Marcus Rashford, Noni Madueke and Anthony Gordon all give Tuchel different profiles, from direct running to pace in behind to energy off the bench. None of that makes Saka easy to replace, but it does give England some flexibility.
The next few days will be important. If Saka responds well in training, his role can grow. But for now, England seem determined not to turn a manageable issue into something that damages their tournament later.
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This story was originally published June 20, 2026 at 12:55 AM.