Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale reveals how ‘complete’ Bukayo Saka handled huge heartbreak

Arsenal and England goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale says teammate Bukayo Saka is a better human being and player after he missed one of the crucial penalty kicks during the Euros.

England youngster Saka, Manchester United duo Rashford and Sancho all missed crucial kicks at the final with Italy emerging eventual winners.

All three players were vilified on social media for months and many still remind them of the unfortunate event every now and then.

21-year-old Saka though looks to have put that behind him and is enjoying a brilliant start to the season with Arsenal and is one of the players who England will be relying on to have a great World Cup.

His teammate Ramsdale says he is happy for his club teammate because he’s turned a very difficult situation into working hard and becoming a better player.

He said: “I’m trying to find the right words... ‘impeccably’, probably.

”The kid’s a lovely boy, he has time for everyone, works super hard throughout every week.

“Very, very rarely misses a training session and used all that motivation of criticism. But also more so the love that everyone gave him, gave him an extra boost.

“Don’t forget he had the pressure of the whole football club on him last year — him and Emile Smith Rowe were our main guys — and he has dealt with that, he’s dealt with everything else. He is thriving and I can’t wait to see him thrive over here.”

He added: “Absolutely, there is no doubt [he’s stronger] for that, off the pitch and on it. He’s a more complete person.”

Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal manager, has said the squad helped Saka through the situation and Ramsdale, who joined the club that same summer, revealed he used the pain of being relegated with Sheffield United to support his new teammate.

“[My role was] more through the criticism side,” Ramsdale said. “That was probably the first time he’d received it.

“I got relegated and signing for Arsenal was a difficult period so I was able to talk him through that and also when we missed out on the top four he felt like it was all his fault because he couldn’t provide for us.

“I was just able to reflect that the season before they finished eighth, this season we finished fifth, and if we go another step again we will be in the top four.”