Arsenal starlet Bukayo Saka is celebrating his 20th birthday today, giving us the perfect chance to look back at the youngster's rapid rise to stardom.
The attacker already has a wealth of experience and man-of-the-match displays under his belt from his teenage years, all while demonstrating a sense of professionalism and maturity that has not gone unnoticed at club or international level.
Having caught the eye domestically, continentally and potentially on the biggest stage of them all in Qatar next year, Saka's career is only just beginning as he seeks to continue making headlines for all the right reasons.
Here, Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at Saka's journey from Arsenal academy graduate to international fame.
Humble beginnings
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Having achieved a remarkable set of GCSE results - including four A*s and three As - while progressing through the youth ranks at Hale End, Saka initially caught the eye for the Under-18s during the 2017-18 campaign, banking six goals and five assists in 14 league appearances, including a brace against Tottenham Hotspur.
Predominantly a left winger during his days in the Under-18s, it did not take long for Saka to be promoted to the Under-23s in the 2018-19 season after having a hand in five goals from three Under-18 Premier League games that year, and he took to the higher level with aplomb.
Following his 17th birthday, Saka shone during the 2018-19 Premier League 2 season with five goals and eight assists in 20 appearances as Arsenal finished second in the table behind Everton's academy products, with the youngster's tally unsurprising given that he was learning from a man he sought to emulate in Freddie Ljungberg.
It did not take long for Unai Emery to take notice of Saka's potential as he handed the Englishman his first team debut against Vorskla Poltava in the Europa League in November 2018, and he went on to make solitary appearances in the Premier League and FA Cup during his debut campaign.
Arsenal regular
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Eintracht Frankfurt became the first victims of Saka's irrepressible talent at senior level in September 2019 - two weeks after his 18th birthday - as the Hale End product delightfully curled in his first goal for the club either side of setting up Joe Willock and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in a 3-0 Europa League win.
Saka quickly became the talk of the Emirates and soon found himself making weekly Premier League appearances for the Gunners - even setting up Aubameyang's equaliser during a 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford - and the chance to work under Ljungberg would once again present itself for Saka following Emery's departure.
The youngster could hardly make an impact during Ljungberg's short-lived tenure in the dugout, and the arrival of Mikel Arteta would shift Saka into an unfamiliar left-back role during the club's injury crisis, in which he assisted goals against Newcastle United and Everton before the first coronavirus lockdown.
Proceeding to garner experience as a central midfielder, left-back, left midfielder and right winger, Saka's first Premier League goal was a peach of a volley versus Wolverhampton Wanderers in July 2020 as he ended the 2019-20 season with four goals and 11 assists to his name in all competitions.
Arteta affirmed last summer that Saka's new contract was a "priority" for the club before the Englishman committed his future to the Emirates until 2024, and as well as scooping an FA Cup winners' medal in his teenage years, the attacker also became the first teenager to chalk up 10 assists in one season for Arsenal since Cesc Fabregas in the 2006-07 season.
Euros heartbreak
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After being utilised in a wide range of different positions, the versatile Saka proceeded to make the right-wing spot his own in the 2020-21 season, although his first-ever goal at the Emirates Stadium against Sheffield United saw him forced to celebrate in front of 60,000 empty seats.
With fellow academy product Emile Smith Rowe in tow, Saka was walking in a winter wonderland and was central to Arsenal's revival last Christmas, registering four goals and two assists in the space of six Premier League matches, including an eye-catching lob against Chelsea - completely intentional according to him.
The goal contributions dried up for Saka towards the end of a season in which he played 46 games across all competitions, but his trickery, directness and link-up play all convinced Gareth Southgate to include him in England's bid to make Euro 2020 history.
After earning starts in wins against the Czech Republic, Germany and Denmark - claiming an assist against the latter - the nation's heartfelt sympathies went out to the young man after witnessing Gianluigi Donnarumma keep out his crucial spot kick in the final before a barrage of despicable abuse came his way.
Immediately consoled by teammates and Southgate before returning to Arsenal to a mural of supportive messages, Saka continues to earn applause from opposition supporters whenever his name is read out, and the main aim for the 20-year-old now will simply be to enjoy his football and endeavour to help bring the glory days back to Arsenal.
Ben Knapton
