Arsenal ace Bukayo Saka scored twice as England beat Iran 6-2 in their World Cup opener. He is now just the fourth Gunners star to score for the Three Lions at a major tournament.
Gareth Southgate’s men proved their class at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha on Monday. Jude Bellingham broke the deadlock for the 1966 champions after 35 minutes as the Borussia Dortmund midfielder glanced Luke Shaw’s cross into the far corner of the net.
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England would end the game as a contest in the prolonged period before the break after a lengthy first-half delay. Saka got his first of the day as the Arsenal ace sent Harry Maguire’s knockdown crashing into the top corner with a stunning shot for his fifth goal for England.
The 21-cap dynamo was a threat all game after starting ahead of Phil Foden of Manchester City. Saka would justify Southgate’s decision just after the hour mark as the 21-year-old hit his second of the affair. He teased two Iran defenders with a silky run before drilling home.
Raheem Sterling had already given England a three-goal lead entering the break as he met Harry Kane’s cross with venom. Marcus Rashford and Jack Grealish would also later add to the margin from the bench. But Mehdi Taremi scored either side of the substitutes’ strikes.
Saka is now the fourth Arsenal player to score for England at a major tournament
Saka has now scored six goals alongside the Arsenal forward’s five assists in 21 games with England in all competitions. Opta Sports’ Tom Ede also notes his brace against Iran saw the Hale Ender become the first Gunners star to score twice in a World Cup tie for any country.
Additionally, Saka’s first saw the winger become just the fourth Arsenal player to score for England at a major tournament. The Three Lions’ opening Group B game with Iran was the 2020 FA Cup winner’s World Cup debut. He also featured in four fixtures during Euro 2020.
Across 271 minutes as England reached the Euro 2020 final, Saka started three games from a possible five of seven. He only influenced one goal during the tournament as Simon Kjaer turned his cross into his own net. It pulled England level in the semi-final against Denmark.
Saka has now scored his first England goal at a major tournament after a superb season for Arsenal this term. The forward flew to the Middle East after striking five goals and assisting six in 20 games. He hit home four times and created six in 14 Premier League appearances.
So, with Saka now the fourth Arsenal ace to score for England at a major tournament, HITC Football has looked at the previous Gunners players to hit home after his World Cup brace.
Adams was the first Arsenal player to score for England at a major tournament
Tony Adams became the first Arsenal player to score for England at a major tournament at Euro 1988. The Three Lions were one of just eight teams to compete in West Germany that summer. But they did not go past the first hurdle after finishing without a point in Group 2.
England lost all of their opening-round fixtures against the Republic of Ireland, Netherlands and Soviet Union. They also only scored twice over the ties with Bryan Robson hitting once against the Dutch in a 3-1 loss. Adams drew England level in a 3-1 loss to the Soviet Union.
Adams represented his country on 66 occasions across all competitions and provided five goals from centre-half. He made his Three Lions bow under Sir Bobby Robson in 1987 and went on to captain his nation between 1994 and 1998 before his final appearance in 2000.
Campbell became the first Arsenal player to score for England at a World Cup
Sol Campbell became the first Arsenal player to score for England at the World Cup in 2002 in Japan and South Korea. The centre-half had already featured on the FIFA stage at France 1998 after starting all four of their fixtures. He would go on to start all five fixtures in 2002.
Sven-Goran Eriksson took Campbell to the 73-cap defender’s third and final World Cup for Germany 2006. But he only featured once from the bench over five matches that summer. The 48-year-old recorded his final game for the Three Lions in 2007 under Steve McClaren.
Campbell only scored once and assisted a goal in the two-time Premier League winner with Arsenal’s England career. The four-time FA Cup winner (three with the Gunners) headed in his only goal for his country to break the deadlock during a 1-1 draw with Sweden in 2002.
Walcott was the last Gunners star to score for the Three Lions at a finals
Theo Walcott was the last Arsenal star to score for England at a major tournament before Saka struck home twice. The forward fired home one of his eight in 47 caps at Euro 2012 in a 3-2 win over Sweden. The now-Southampton man also assisted a goal in the Group D tie.
Andy Carroll had broken the deadlock on 23 minutes at the NSK Olimpisky in Kyiv, Ukraine. But a Glen Johnson own goal and Olof Mellberg’s header flipped the scoreline on the hour mark. Walcott then responded before crossing to Danny Welbeck with 12 minutes to play.
Walcott enjoyed a 10-year England career after making his debut in May 2006 at 17 years, two months and 14 days. The 33-year-old went on to earn 47 caps for eight goals and eight assists before November 2016. He had joined Arsenal from Southampton in January 2006.
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