There was a period when it seemed that Bukayo Saka’s golden season would end with him a Premier League champion, perhaps even anointed as Footballer of the Year. And if neither quite came to pass, he still conjured a fitting finish to a wonderful campaign.
The first hat-trick of his career came in just 13 minutes and in his country’s colours. As England’s No. 7 made off with the match ball, they scored seven. North Macedonia have claimed the scalps of Italy and Germany in their recent past but they were demolished. If this could have been a group laced with pitfalls for England, with the reigning European champions, Euro 2020 quarter-finalists and a side who almost qualified for the World Cup, they have the maximum 12 points and are turning their journey to Germany next summer into a procession.
