England winger Bukayo Saka has revealed that one of his earliest FIFA World Cup memories was Ghana’s dramatic quarter-final defeat to Uruguay at the 2010 tournament in South Africa.
Speaking to FIFA ahead of the 2026 World Cup, Saka recalled watching the unforgettable encounter as a child and vividly remembered the emotions surrounding the controversial handball incident involving Luis Suárez.
“My first FIFA World Cup memory was in 2010 in South Africa. The Uruguay vs Ghana game was crazy. I was watching it,” Saka said.
“I remember being in a room with my brother and obviously we saw the handball and the penalty, and all the emotions. We had some Ghanaian friends, so that went down not so good.”
The match remains one of the most painful moments in Ghanaian football history. The Black Stars came within a kick of becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final, only for Asamoah Gyan’s last-minute penalty to strike the crossbar after Suárez handled the ball on the goal line.
Uruguay eventually progressed on penalties, ending Ghana’s historic run in heartbreaking fashion.
Now preparing for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Saka is expected to play a key role for England, who have been drawn in Group L alongside Ghana, Croatia and Panama