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Bukayo Saka’s ‘Special’ Moment of Redemption
Author Name
1/1/2035
Prince William congratulates Bukayo Saka after his redemption penalty against Switzerland at Euro 2024. Saka's smile reflects the pride and joy of overcoming past challenges.
Bukayo Saka has earned a moment of redemption, reminiscent of Stuart Pearce’s iconic performance, but for the TikTok generation. During England's perfect penalty shootout against Switzerland, fans witnessed a scene that echoed Euro 96 in Dusseldorf on Saturday night.
England has only twice scored all their penalties in major tournament shootouts—against Spain at Wembley in 1996 and versus Switzerland in 2024. Pearce famously scored the third spot-kick against Spain, celebrating with a fierce fist pump and a roar. Similarly, Saka nailed the third spot-kick against Switzerland, celebrating with a wide, beaming smile, capturing the hearts of the new generation of England supporters.
For both players, these moments represented significant redemption. Pearce’s successful penalty came six years after missing in the 1990 World Cup semi-final against West Germany.
Reflecting on overcoming his past miss, Saka said,
"I think for me, it's something I embrace. You can fail once but you have a choice whether you put yourself in that position again and I'm a guy who is going to put myself in that position. I believed in myself and when the ball hit the net I was a very happy man."
Saka’s triumph came three years after his missed penalty in the European Championship final against Italy. When Trent Alexander-Arnold scored the winning kick, Saka sank to his knees with arms aloft, a gesture of gratitude and redemption, Saka-style—classy, skillful, and irresistibly likeable.
