Bukayo Saka says the most challenging injury of his career to date has provided him with a more balanced perspective on life, and even allowed him some quality time with his new cockapoo puppy, Tucker.
The Arsenal winger confessed that he initially worried he might not return to his previous form after sustaining a hamstring injury during a match against Crystal Palace last December, which sidelined him until April.
However, this forced hiatus from the relentless pace of football has offered him a broader view of life. He's now gearing up to conclude the season by participating in his first England match since Thomas Tuchel took charge as the Three Lions take on Senegal on Tuesday.
Saka reflected on the unexpected benefits of his time off: "I got to spend more time with my family and got to do more of the little things around the house that I wouldn't have even paid attention to when I was playing.
"On that note it was nice and I've come back with a bit more of a balanced head about football and life, and I'm trying to balance them better. It definitely helped me mentally."
During his recovery, Saka also had a new furry friend to keep him company.
"I got the dog while I was still playing but I got injured and he came while I was injured," he said.
"It was a bit tough at first because he's a puppy and I couldn't really get after him. It was a good experience. It was funny. His name is Tucker."
Saka also revealed that he spent some of his downtime reading, including a particularly impactful book titled 'The Power of Now', penned by Eckhart Tolle and gifted to him by Arsenal assistant coach Carlos Cuesta.
“(The book is) about not thinking about the past, not thinking about the future. Just being in the moment and always asking yourself ‘what’s necessary right now?’,” he said.
“Sometimes I can think, ‘oh, am I going to come back in the best shape?’. Or, in the past, ‘what could I have done to prevent injury?’.
“But all that is not necessary. It’s only going to bring bad energy and negativity to your body.”
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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Saka's injury occurred at such a time that he had to undergo surgery at 5am on Christmas Eve to ensure he could be home for Christmas Day.
“It was horrible. It was the day before (Christmas Eve) we had to decide. Normally you get more time to make a decision,” he said.
“But where it was going to be Christmas, the surgeons want to be with their families, so I decided on the spot that we were doing the surgery. Then it was deciding what time and was I going to be there on Christmas Day. Obviously, that was the last thing I wanted.
“So I had to do it at 5am or 6am on Christmas Eve. Credit to the surgeon – he got up early to do it. I was out of the hospital at about 3 or 4pm and home. Christmas Day, I went to my cousin’s house but I was in a big brace and had crutches.”
When asked about his Christmas Day experience, Saka said: “I had to get my presents brought to me. It doesn’t sound like the worst thing!
“When everyone got up to go to the dining room, it took me about 10 minutes to get there. Little things like that. It was very painful to get up and make my way there.”