An England football fan who wrote to Bukayo Saka after his missed penalty in the Euro 2020 final was left overwhelmed when he received a handwritten letter from the Three Lions star.
Steve Byrne, 55, decided to write to the Arsenal and England midfielder after the nation's Euro 2020 defeat to Italy at Wembley earlier this month.
The London bus driver, from Brookmans Park in Hertfordshire, who resides a short distance away from Saka's home, sent the words of encouragement after he saw the 19-year-old being consoled by the England manager Gareth Southgate on the pitch.
But last Sunday, Mr Byrne was shocked to discover a handwritten response from the football star posted through his door.
In his card, the footballer thanked the bus driver for the 'lovely and encouraging message' before going on to tell him 'it means a lot to me'.
Mr Byrne, who is also an Arsenal fan, told MailOnline: 'In the card that I wrote to him I told him you will rise up and fly and I said I was inspired by him.
Steve Byrne, 55, from Brookmans Park in Hertfordshire, wrote to Bukayo Saka after his missed penalty in the Euro 2020 final
'We are the Arsenal family and we look out for each other. I also joked that he should get Jack Grealish to sign with Arsenal.
'I wrote in a quote by the American general George S. Patton who said ''success is measured on how high you bounce up after hitting bottom'' and then I added ''you will bounce up so get ready to fly''.
'The letter was sent before the news emerged of the racism the footballer had endured and I didn't know anything about it at the time.'
The bus driver, who in 2013 was diagnosed with the rare blood disease ANCA Vasculitis, said he only discovered that the England midfielder lived close to him after taking an early morning run one day.
He continued: 'I was running in my area one day when I saw Saka going into a house. Due to Covid I didn't go too close to speak with him but after England's defeat in the Euro 2020 final I thought I would post a card through his door.
'I'm an Arsenal fan and a big fan of Saka and when I saw him crying and being hugged by Gareth Southgate, my heart just went out to him.
'I just wanted to tell him it's ok. I have a son who is a similar age and it could have been him. I didn't want Saka thinking he had ruined it for the country. It doesn't matter. He's playing for the national team and at such a young age.
'I wanted to write something to him for all his efforts during the tournament. I also felt like he was just an inspiration to everybody watching him. '
Last Sunday, Mr Byrne received a handwritten letter from the football star through his door thanking him for his words of encouragement.
The bus driver said: 'It was last Sunday when I was having an afternoon nap that I heard my doorbell go off but I didn't answer the door because I was too tired.
'It was only the next day on the Monday that I saw the card on my mat and opened it up to see I had received a response from Saka. I just thought ''oh my god''.
'The most famous footballer in the country had sent a card to me. I wasn't expecting that but it was a lovely letter. Everyone was telling me to give him a hug from them.
Last Sunday, Mr Byrne received a handwritten letter from the England midfielder thanking him for his words
