Fans realise Bukayo Saka has better stats than Ronaldo through first 210 games but some say ‘show me the trophies’
BUKAYO SAKA has better stats than Cristiano Ronaldo through their first 210 matches in club football.
But Manchester United fans were quick to point out the key difference in trophies.
Saka, 22, broke through into the Arsenal first team in 2018-19 as a left-back but made his place secure in the following campaign, moving further forward as an attacking winger.
Last weekend’s 6-0 thumping of West Ham was his 210th appearance in all competition for the Gunners.
In that time, he has scored 51 goals – including two at the London Stadium – and provided 49 assists, totalling 100 goal involvements.
By contrast, Ronaldo hit the landmark of 210 club games for Sporting Lisbon and Manchester United games in April 2007.
At that stage and also aged 22, the Portuguese sensation had managed 50 goals and 37 assists, taking him to 87 goal involvements overall – 13 behind Saka.
And though many were stunned to see Saka outperform Ronaldo, others were quick to look at their respective trophy cabinets.
One said: “Saka is clearly on the right path. He’ll be unplayable when he hits his peak years.”
Another wrote: “Yesssss my boy is getting the actual hype he deserved. He has been deserving this type of hype way back but they ignore and now the stats are out.”
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A third added: “In terms of football abilities Saka is clear of Ronaldo.”
A fourth replied: “Interesting stats. That’s how we know data doesn’t tell the whole story.”
And a final user commented: “Ok hold up…show me the trophies.”
As for the silverware, Saka has an FA Cup winner’s medal and two Community Shield wins in his career.
Ronaldo, however, technically only had a Portuguese Super Cup, an FA Cup and a League Cup by April 2007 – but soon added the first of his three Premier League titles weeks later, as well as the Community Shield.
He also ended the 2006-07 season as the PFA Player, Young Player and Fans’ Player of the Year, the Football Writers’ Association and Premier League Player of the Season.
England’s 32-cap star Saka also has a PFA Young Player of the Year award and both men have ended up on the losing side in Euros finals.
But 39-year-old Ronaldo, of course, has kicked on to become one of the greatest footballers ever with more than 850 goals, Euro 2016 glory, five Champions Leagues including one at United, five Ballons d’Or and countless individual records in an illustrious career spanning more than 20 years.
Most goal involvements in Europe's major leagues 2023-24
- Kylian Mbappe – 37 (30 goals + 7 assists)
- Harry Kane – 36 (28 + 8)
- Jude Bellingham – 28 (20 + 8)
- Erling Haaland – 27 (21 + 6)
- Mo Salah – 26 (18 + 8)
- Ollie Watkins – 26 (16 + 10)
- Bukayo Saka – 25 (13 + 12)
- Antoine Griezmann – 25 (18 + 7)