Arsenal and England forward Bukayo Saka has revealed why Cristiano Ronaldo was his idol and shared that he has two of his shirts
Arsenal star Bukayo Saka has disclosed his football idol from his childhood, revealing whether he admired Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo more.
Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the football world for over a decade, continuing to perform at the highest level despite their advancing years. This summer, the two veterans are leading their respective nations in major tournaments.
Messi is aiming for another Copa America title with Argentina, while Ronaldo is competing with Portugal at Euro 2024, both in the twilight of their careers.
For many years, Messi and Ronaldo were the pinnacle of club football, trading Ballon d’Or victories. Saka, born in September 2001, was just seven and eight years old when Ronaldo and Messi won their first global awards. Like many footballers and fans, the Englishman has chosen a side, naming Ronaldo as his childhood idol. Saka even owns two of Ronaldo’s shirts.
Saka said, “Cristiano Ronaldo, and I own two of his shirts. He goes to the tunnel quickly after the end of the match, so I spoke to Bruno once, and he brought me his shirt. The second time, Luke Shaw brought it to me, and it was signed by Ronaldo.”
Bukayo Saka praised the 39-year-old for the longevity of his career and admitted he can’t see himself playing professionally for as long. Speaking on the Men in Blazers podcast, the Arsenal winger said, “Personally, I can’t (imagine playing for as long as Ronaldo), and that’s why I have so much respect for him.
“Obviously, when I was younger, he was my idol, but now that I’m playing football professionally, I have even more respect for him—how he’s managed to stay this disciplined and focused and achieve everything he’s achieved. So yeah, he’s special.”
The Portuguese legend joined Manchester United in 2003 and left the club six years later to join Real Madrid when Saka was just eight years old. Ronaldo went on to play for Juventus before making a brief comeback to Old Trafford in 2021. In January 2023, the 39-year-old left Europe to sign with Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr.
In a recent interview, Saka was asked again about the player he looked up to when he was young, to which he responded, “Cristiano Ronaldo.” He also shared that he has two of Ronaldo’s shirts, thanks to Manchester United stars Bruno Fernandes and Luke Shaw.
