Former England striker, Gary Lineker, has admitted he became emotional after Bukayo Saka took a penalty during the shoot-out win over Switzerland at Euro 2024.
Saka had already equalised during the 90 minutes, with the game eventually decided via penalties.
According to Lineker, the moment reminded him of watching Stuart Pearce enjoy a similar moment of redemption.
Lineker and Pearce were teammates during the 1990 World Cup when the left-back saw a spot-kick saved in a semi-final defeat to West Germany.
Pearce, however, converted a kick during a quarter-final shoot-out win against Spain at Euro 96.
Saka was one of England’s three players who missed a penalty during the Euro 2020 final.
“I did actually, watching it, get a little bit emotional,” Lineker said on The Rest is Football podcast.
“It reminded me so much of the Stuart Pearce moment. Pearce missed in 1990 when I played. I know Stuart; you know Stuart. He’s such a diamond of a bloke and a wonderful football player.
“Then we played against Spain, penalty shootout, in ’96 in the Euros. And he stepped forward again. I was in the crowd thinking, please, please score, don’t miss, and everyone in the crowd was thinking the same thing. There was a silence that was palpable.
“When he knocked that in, I cried. I was sitting there in the crowd, crying tears of joy. I don’t cry when I’m sad; I cry when I’m happy, and it [Saka’s penalty] reminded me of that. He took the penalty that basically lost us the Euros, and then to come back, a young lad having scored a brilliant goal to drag us level almost immediately. He’s amazing!”
Euro 2024: I cried after Saka’s penalty against Switzerland – Lineker
