Bukayo Saka scored an excellent goal as England beat Wales 3-0 in an international friendly at Wembley Stadium on Thursday night.
Receiving the ball from Ezri Konsa, Saka cut inside from the right flank, evading David Brooks, and dispatched a gem of a shot with his left foot. The ball curled beyond the reach of the Welsh goalkeeper and nestled into the top-left corner.
With that goal, Saka took his tally to 13 goals in 45 games, becoming the highest-scoring Arsenal player in England history.
Thomas Tuchel Urges Bukayo Saka to Score More for England
When the statistic was put in front of England manager Thomas Tuchel, he had an unexpected reaction. The former Chelsea manager said that Saka was not scoring enough, as he had been a lot more clinical for Arsenal in the Premier League.
“How many goals did he score for England?” Tuchel clarified (via Sports Illustrated).
“13? One three? It has to be more, it’s not enough. He needs to keep on going. I thought it was 30, at least, and then I would have said it’s not enough, because I am never satisfied. He is such a threat for Arsenal in the most difficult league in the world, so why would he not be at international level?“
‘It has to be more, it’s not enough’ 🤣
Bukayo Saka became Arsenal’s record goalscorer in an England jersey with 13 goals.
But Thomas Tuchel wants more.#StanSportAU pic.twitter.com/M8uj2Bxrpx
— Stan Sport Football (@StanSportFC) October 10, 2025
He concluded by adding:
“We have the position for him, he has the attitude, the stamina, the talent, everything to be a top player at international level, and that’s what he has to show. We can just encourage him to be influential, like he was today. Next game, he needs to try to repeat it.”
Saka, who has seen his value increase in FPL price changes for Gameweek 8, has scored more than 13 goals in three of his last four seasons at Arsenal.
Goals Iconic England Players Scored at Bukayo Saka’s Age
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has played 45 games for England, scoring 13 goals with an average of 0.29 goals per game. Although the 24-year-old’s tally looks modest, only a handful of England icons had scored more international goals than the Arsenal man at his age.
Wayne Rooney, Bobby Charlton, Jimmy Greaves, and Michael Owen had scored more goals than Saka by the time they were his age. Greaves had the most extraordinary haul, as he scored 30 goals in only 33 games for the Three Lions. Charlton was next with 23 strikes in 30 games. Rooney and Owen are next in line, scoring 22 goals (48 games) and 20 goals (41 games) respectively.
Bukayo Saka at his very best 🔝 pic.twitter.com/avPmWXvNeP
— Premier League (@premierleague) October 11, 2025
Check out the table below to see how Saka stacks up against some of the greatest players in England’s history.
| Name | Games at Saka’s Age | Goals at Saka’s Age | Total England Games | Total England Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Kane | 20 | 10 | 109 | 74 |
| Wayne Rooney | 48 | 22 | 120 | 53 |
| Bobby Charlton | 30 | 23 | 106 | 49 |
| Gary Lineker | 2 | 0 | 80 | 48 |
| Jimmy Greaves | 33 | 30 | 57 | 44 |
| Michael Owen | 41 | 20 | 89 | 40 |
| Alan Shearer | 10 | 3 | 63 | 30 |
| David Beckham | 22 | 1 | 115 | 17 |
| Frank Lampard | 7 | 0 | 106 | 29 |
| Steven Gerrard | 23 | 3 | 114 | 21 |
AI Predicts How Many Goals Saka Would Score for England
We fed Bukayo Saka’s statistics to ChatGPT and asked it to predict how many goals he would end up scoring over the course of his international career. Assuming he would be in his prime at least until 31 years and England play an average of 10 international matches per year, AI predicted he would play around 70 more international matches and score between 30 and 38 goals.
| Scenario | GPG Used | Est. Future Goals (Next 70 games) | Total Career Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative (0.25) | 0.25 | 17–18 | 30–31 goals |
| Steady (current rate 0.29) | 0.29 | 20 | 33 goals |
| Peak Improvement (0.35, assuming he matures as finisher) | 0.35 | 25 | 38 goals |
This projection shows he would outscore Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard, and possibly even Premier League top scorer Alan Shearer. However, Harry Kane and Wayne Rooney are likely to be beyond his reach.
Saka and England return to World Cup qualifying action with a trip to Latvia on Tuesday.
