He took the game to the Swiss left wing-back Michel Aebischer in the conventional sense. Four times in the first half he went past Aebischer in a demonstration of classic wing play. To Aebischer’s credit he kept going. Although it had reached the point soon after where the Swiss defence were obliged to send someone else to help out.
Switzerland had to commit men to the Saka threat. As the game went on into extra-time that was Steven Zuber, the second-half substitute, and it came to the point that Saka had unbalanced Switzerland. They would sooner have invited him to step inside on his stronger foot than attack the byline and it was from there that the goal came.
Then, deep into extra-time, the 117th minute and with the score level, the roles were reversed with Aebischer. This time it was the latter who was the spare man for Switzerland on the right as England found themselves caught out of shape. Saka made the block and from the corner the Swiss hit Jordan Pickford’s post.
But Saka’s next great moment was to come. Tournament football brings a different pressure. These are volatile days away from the rhythm of the elite club football Saka plays the rest of the time. That he can handle it – that he keeps coming back for more, shows the quality of the player, and the man.