![\"Bukayo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/france-v-england-bronze-final-fifa-world-cup-2026-6-1024x668.jpg\" "\\"Tuchel")
Photo by Luke Hales\/Getty Images<\/p>\n Saka insisted he was fully fit after the World Cup, but Tuchel\u2019s explanation for overlooking him has only intensified the debate.Photo by Luke Hales\/Getty Images<\/p>\n
When Bukayo Saka didn\u2019t start England\u2019s semi-final against Argentina, most assumed it was due to his fitness and the Achilles issue that had dogged him for months. <\/p>\n
But Thomas Tuchel has now revealed he simply picked Morgan Rogers over Saka because he had a \u201cfeeling\u201d.<\/p>\n
Nobody could understand why Saka did not get a single minute against Argentina, with the Arsenal man admitting after he scored a hat-trick against France in the third-place play-off that he was fit and had wanted to play more minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, I would love to have played more,\u201d Saka told the BBC<\/a> after the game. \u201cBut of course, it\u2019s not the time to talk about that now.<\/p>\n \u201cI try to do my talking on the pitch. It\u2019s done now. Move on.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked if he was fit, he replied: \u201cYeah. I\u2019m fit. I\u2019m fit.\u201d<\/p>\n But when Tuchel was asked about Saka, his answer was more than a little surprising.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was excellent,\u201d Tuchel said after the 6-4 win over France. \u201cBukayo is a key player for me.<\/p>\n \u201cHe was ready to go in the World Cup. I felt still the responsibility as a coach, and with the history given where he came from to take it slow with Bukayo.<\/p>\n \u201cHe started quite some matches (4 of 8), it was a tough decision for me to leave him out of the semi-final. <\/p>\n \u201cI had a feeling after the Norway match that Morgan Rogers had something special to give to us with his physicality and his body in the match against Argentina.<\/p>\n \u201cWe had him [Saka] warm up several times against Argentina, we were ready to change but the game became so crazy that in the end we opted for a different option.<\/p>\n \u201cBut nothing has changed during this World Cup for me. Bukayo is a fantastic team-mate, a fantastic football player, a key player for us. That will not change. He showed it again today. I\u2019m happy for him and happy for us. He\u2019s excellent.\u201d<\/p>\n So, he left out one of the best players in the world, a footballer who has consistently performed for club and country for years, because he had a \u201cfeeling\u201d that Rogers, who was being booed by Aston Villa\u2019s fans just 10 months ago because he could not pass the ball, would do something special.<\/p>\n Rogers finished the semi-final with an assist yet, despite that, was still only rated at 6.8<\/a> with an xG of 0.05 and an xGA of 0.37 and just 12 passes attempted. The \u2018physicality\u2019 that Tuchel highlighted saw him win just three of his eight ground duels and none in the air.<\/p>\n By the end of the tournament, Saka had played 356 minutes, scored three goals and provided three assists. <\/p>\n Rogers, meanwhile, played 337 minutes and registered two assists.<\/p>\n Perhaps the feeling Tuchel should have had was that only a moron would pick Rogers over a fully fit Saka.<\/p>\n Arsenal are preparing a bid for Aston Villa\u2019s Ezri Konsa, though it is believed the clubs remain apart on a valuation and the player may yet stay where he is.<\/p>\n Tuchel explains not playing Saka in World Cup semi-final<\/a><\/p>\n Thomas Tuchel has explained why Bukayo Saka missed England\u2019s World Cup semi-final against Argentina, despite the Arsenal star insisting he was fit.<\/p>\n Arsenal 20yo finds new club after rejecting contract<\/a><\/p>\n Alexei Rojas has joined Penafiel after leaving Arsenal, having rejected the club\u2019s offer of a new contract earlier this summer.<\/p>\n![\"Bukayo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/france-v-england-bronze-final-fifa-world-cup-2026-4-1024x684.jpg\" "\\"Tuchel")
Photo by Luke Hales\/Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Morgan](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/GettyImages-2286275624-1024x683.jpg\" "\\"Tuchel")
Photo by Dan Mullan\/Getty Images<\/p>\n![\"Bukayo](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/france-v-england-bronze-final-fifa-world-cup-2026-1024x744.jpg\" "\\"Tuchel")
Photo by Luke Hales\/Getty ImagesArsenal prepare bid for Ezri Konsa<\/a><\/p>\n