Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has praised Cristiano Ronaldo’s inspirational effect on Gunners forward Bukayo Saka after team-mate Jorginho said the England international could also become a Ballon d’Or winner.
Ronaldo won the first of his five Ballon d’Or awards while playing for Manchester United, who visit Arsenal in the Premier League on Wednesday (8.30pm GMT), as a 23-year-old in 2008.
At the same age, Saka has two more assists this season than any other player in the top five European leagues and has set up 11 goals and scored seven in 18 appearances in all competitions.
Welcome to the Bukayo Saka Show™️ pic.twitter.com/xjNXYWP6Cr
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 25, 2024
Saka vs Ronaldo
“To look is always good,” Arteta replied when he was asked about Saka telling interviewers that he looked up to Ronaldo as a youngster.
“Probably no-one would have expected Ronaldo to do what he did after his first couple of seasons at Manchester United… it was about his mentality, his work ethic, his chemistry with his team.”
Saka broke the record set by Thierry Henry, who was 24 at the time, when he became the youngest player to reach 50 Premier League goals for Arsenal earlier this season.
The Arsenal academy product has 65 goals and 61 assists in 234 games for the club, while Ronaldo contributed 118 goals and 43 assists in 292 games in his first spell at United between 2003 and 2009.
Balance, power, finish. ⚡️
🎥 How the touchline reacted to that Saka goal 🤩 pic.twitter.com/HaR0tSAtFq
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) November 25, 2024
Saka stats: ‘He can only improve’
“We always see a shift in the numbers with Bukayo, every single year,” said Arteta. “He is always adding things to his game and becoming more and more consistent.
“His impact, in terms of goals and assists, is incredible at this stage of the season. He can only improve and get better because he’s got the right players around him to do so, and especially because he wants more.
“Also, to play in a team which has the capacity to be dominant is important. ‘B’ has got that context and if he is aiming for [Ronaldo’s achievements], it’s a positive thing.”
Bukayo Saka and Kai Havertz would love to meet Cristiano Ronaldo 🐐 pic.twitter.com/nM2KuTXFIY
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) July 19, 2023
Saka: Ronaldo ‘special’
Saka named Ronaldo as his boyhood hero as part of an interview alongside Arsenal striker Kai Havertz last year for ESPN, with both players saying the Al-Nassr top scorer is the player they would most like to meet.
Footage from the All or Nothing documentary following Arsenal in 2021/22 showed Saka voicing his determination to then-team-mate Aaron Ramsdale that he would procure a shirt from Ronaldo, who was in his second spell at Old Trafford at the time.
Speaking to Men in Blazers earlier this year, Saka said he could not imagine playing for as long as the 39-year-old has. “That’s why I have so much respect for him,” he added.
“When I was younger, he was my idol – but now that I’m playing football professionally, I have even more respect for him, how he’s managed to stay this disciplined and this focused and achieve everything he’s achieved. He’s special.”
“It shows you how much they believe in him” ⚽
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta reacts to comments from Jorginho saying Bukayo Saka could be a Ballon d’Or contender 🏆 pic.twitter.com/oPq65p4O1j
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 3, 2024
Jorginho backs Saka for Ballon d’Or
Jorginho told former United captain Rio Ferdinand’s podcast that Saka would win the most prestigious individual prize in football as long as his self-belief grows.
“They train with him every day and they are in the dressing room with him,” Arteta said of his squad’s admiration for Saka.
“For a player and team-mate to have these kind of words is always really positive. It shows you how much they believe in him and how much potential they see him.”
Second-placed Arsenal will start their game against United nine points behind leaders Liverpool. The visitors are on a two-match winning run under new manager Ruben Amorim and can move three points behind Arteta’s side with victory.
