Tuchel hints Saka unlikely to start for England against Ghana

Bukayo Saka’s path back into England’s starting XI looked cautious rather than immediate after Thomas Tuchel signaled the winger was unlikely to start against Ghana on Tuesday. The decision reflects an early-tournament tradeoff England are already weighing: protect a proven match-winner with an Achilles tendinitis problem, or push him into the lineup and risk losing his sharpness, or his availability, later in the competition.

Saka offered a reminder of his value the moment he entered the 4-2 win over Croatia, coming off the bench in the 72nd minute and setting up Marcus Rashford for England’s fourth goal right after his arrival. Tuchel said Saka is “ready and will get more and more ready,” but also made clear the plan is to nurse him through the next week of training rather than rush him from the opening whistle against Ghana. The manager has indicated Saka could be held back until England’s final group game against Panama in New Jersey on 27 June.

The approach underlines how carefully England and the Football Association are managing a player who has spent the last two months of Arsenal’s Premier League-winning campaign dealing with the Achilles issue, according to earlier reporting. Saka had already said before the Croatia match that he was ready to go after being managed carefully by Arsenal and England, and that he was one cap away from 50 for his country. On Monday, he went further, saying he was prepared to “gamble” on his fitness to help England during the World Cup.

Tuchel’s comments also sharpen the competition for places on the right side. Noni Madueke is likely to keep his place after impressing against Croatia, while Tuchel praised the impact Saka and Rashford made off the bench. That leaves England with a familiar selection problem: whether to preserve rhythm with the players who started well against Croatia, or restore one of the team’s most dangerous attackers only once the medical staff are satisfied the risk is worth taking.

For England, this is not just a question of one starting spot. It is an early test of how aggressively Tuchel wants to manage a star winger whose productivity and health may shape the rest of the tournament.