Saka's World Cup Fitness
Tuchel Confirms England Carefully Managing Bukayo Saka's Achilles Ahead of World Cup
Key Points
Tuchel gave a direct fitness comparison inside camp, saying: “Declan is on 100 per cent and Bukayo is still getting there,” adding that Saka had been “playing through discomfort at the end of the season… but still not at his 100 per cent.”
Tuchel revealed Saka’s Achilles problem affected his international schedule too: “Saka missed England’s March friendlies because of the issue,” and he was also restricted late in the club season, “start[ing] only five matches during the closing weeks… [and] complete[ing] a full 90 minutes on just one occasion.”
Tuchel said Saka joined the England camp later than teammates and described the setting for his buildup, explaining that after extra time off following the Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, Saka “joined England's training camp in Florida” with the other internationals.
Ahead of the Costa Rica warm-up, Tuchel indicated additional rotation options beyond Saka and pointed to John Stones as a candidate to play: “Of course [Stones can start]. Everyone can start – everyone is fit and ready and John is one of them.”
Tuchel also suggested an expected workload range for the upcoming friendly, saying they may limit players in the rotation to “between 60 to 70 minutes” versus Costa Rica to build match fitness without overexposure.
England manager Thomas Tuchel has confirmed that Bukayo Saka is still not at full fitness ahead of the 2026 World Cup, citing a lingering Achilles problem. Tuchel drew a sharp contrast between his players at a press conference on June 9, saying: "Declan is on 100 per cent and Bukayo is still getting there." The Mirror reported he added that Saka had been "playing through discomfort at the end of the season — but still not at his 100 per cent."
England opens its World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on June 17. Tuchel is cautiously optimistic Saka will be available but has ruled out a full workload, saying it is "very unlikely Bukayo starts and finishes all the matches from now on," according to Sports Mole.
Saka's Achilles Issue Has Lingered Since March
Saka first picked up the Achilles injury during club play in March 2026. He missed England's March friendly window to focus on recovery, according to Futbol Chronicle. Arsenal then managed him carefully through the Premier League title run-in, with Saka starting only five matches in the closing weeks of the season and completing 90 minutes just once.
He scored the decisive goal in Arsenal's Champions League semifinal win over Atletico Madrid on May 5. He also started the final against Paris Saint-Germain on May 30 before being substituted in the 83rd minute. Arsenal lost on penalties. After the final, Saka was given extra rest before joining the England camp in Florida on June 6, RealGM reported.
Tuchel Copies Arsenal's Training Plan to Protect Saka
Tuchel said England will replicate what Arsenal did during the title run-in: control Saka's training load while keeping him sharp for matches. As of June 9, Saka still could not train on consecutive days like the rest of the squad. By June 10, he completed a full session in Orlando after resting the day before, according to RealGM.
ibtimes.sg noted Tuchel framed the situation as a managed fitness issue, not a crisis. Saka remains in the squad and available. The key question is how much he can do day to day as the tournament opener approaches.
Costa Rica Friendly to Give Saka and Others Match Time
England faces Costa Rica in a final warm-up on June 12 in Orlando. Tuchel indicated he will rotate players to build match fitness. He suggested key players in the rotation could be limited to "between 60 to 70 minutes," according to FotMob. John Stones was confirmed fit and named as a potential starter, with Tuchel saying "everyone is fit and ready and John is one of them."
Declan Rice, Noni Madueke, and Eberechi Eze are all reported at full fitness. Sports Yahoo noted the rest of the squad has no injury concerns, giving Tuchel flexibility in how he manages Saka's minutes against Costa Rica.
Critics Call for Saka Removal; Tuchel Stands Firm
Not everyone is comfortable with the cautious approach. Former Premier League striker Gabby Agbonlahor publicly urged Tuchel to drop Saka from the squad entirely over fitness concerns, according to talkSPORT. His argument: a player who cannot train back-to-back is a liability in a 48-team tournament spread across 16 North American cities.
Tuchel has pushed back on that view. Saka scored three goals in four games at the 2022 World Cup, making him hard to leave out. Sports Mole noted that Noni Madueke has been identified as the natural backup on the right wing if Saka cannot go. England carries roughly 12.5% odds to win the tournament, according to The Athletic.
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