Arsenal midfielder Jorginho has confidently backed Bukayo Saka to one day win the prestigious Ballon d’Or, praising the England winger’s incredible talent while identifying a key area where he can elevate his game.
Since breaking into Arsenal’s first team in 2018, Saka, now 23, has emerged as one of the Premier League’s most electrifying attackers. Last season, he netted 20 goals across all competitions—his highest tally yet—and this season he’s continued his fine form with five goals and ten assists in the league.
In the Champions League, Saka has added two goals and an assist, helping Arsenal secure a strong position in Europe’s elite competition.
Speaking on Rio Ferdinand Presents, a podcast hosted by the Manchester United legend and sponsored by Qatar Airways, Jorginho lauded Saka’s potential.
“Unbelievable… world class. I said to him, ‘I want to see you win the Ballon d’Or,’” Jorginho said.
When pressed on whether Saka truly has what it takes to claim football’s most coveted individual award, Jorginho was unequivocal. “I believe so. I believe in him… yeah. I hope he believes in himself as well.”
The Italian midfielder pointed out one aspect of Saka’s game that could unlock even greater goal-scoring numbers. “For me, now, the thing he needs to improve is his hunger to get in the box when he’s on the weak side. I want to see headers from him, crosses from the left, you know?”
Jorginho suggested that with greater anticipation and positioning, Saka could easily add six or seven goals to his season tally. “Easy. Easy with that. Let’s see how far he can get. Sometimes the ball’s on the other side, and I can see it’s coming, and I’m thinking, ‘Get in there.’ And he’s not there yet. I’m like, no, man.”
Despite this critique, Jorginho was effusive in his praise for Saka, even sharing a lighthearted nickname the Arsenal squad has for the winger.
“In Brazil, we have this joke with nicknames. ‘Pé’ means foot, and ‘pesudo’ means big foot,” Jorginho revealed. “It’s a joke for bad technique or control, so we started calling him ‘pesudo.’ He goes mad!”
Jorginho clarified it’s all in good humor. “It’s funny because he’s the complete opposite of that. He’s an unbelievable player who is turning into a machine for us. I hope he becomes the same for England because his talent, hunger, and quality are just so high.
“And on top of that, the person he is… he deserves the world. I’m there cheering for him, honestly.”
Saka will look to continue his sensational form when Arsenal hosts Manchester United at the Emirates, seeking a fourth straight win in all competitions. Fans and teammates alike will undoubtedly be watching to see if Saka can take another step toward fulfilling Jorginho’s bold prediction.