At a Glance:
- William Saliba is said to be a doubt for the World Cup with a back injury.
- The Frenchman has played with this issue for a while now.
- Didier Deschamps has provided an update on the Arsenal star.
France manager Didier Deschamps has provided an injury update on Arsenal defender William Saliba ahead of the World Cup.
The Frenchman played almost every minute of every match for the Gunners during the run-in, despite reportedly nursing a back injury. It was revealed after the conclusion of the 2025/26 season that Saliba was a doubt for the World Cup this summer because of this fitness issue.
Various reports have confirmed that the 25-year-old has been carrying this problem for several months, and that playing through it may have put his tournament in jeopardy. However, Deschamps has eased these concerns by providing a concrete update on Saliba’s condition.
Didier Deschamps provides William Saliba udpate
Arsenal had several injury concerns heading into the Champions League final, although Saliba was never cited as one of them, even though his back issue lingered in the background. He was left out of the Crystal Palace game entirely, while he also trained alone in the lead-up to the showdown in Budapest.
These were probably signs that something was going on behind the scenes with Saliba, and this was verified after the club season ended. However, France boss Deschamps has revealed that the centre-back should be perfectly fine to partake in the World Cup, as Les Blues’ medical team will closely examine the player, just like Arsenal’s doctors have in recent months.
Speaking to the Metro, the international head coach claimed that Saliba is physically ready for the challenges ahead.
“He [Saliba] is being looked after by the medical staff, and we are also managing him based on how he feels,” Deschamps said.
“But it’s something he’s had for several weeks, and it hasn’t prevented him from playing every match with Arsenal, including that final for 120 minutes.”
Arsenal fans will hope France crash out early
While it would appear that Saliba is in the right condition to plough through the World Cup, given he did for Arsenal over the last two months of the season, it’s clear that his fitness situation is delicate. He probably needs a prolonged rest to recover properly, but ultimately the football calendar doesn’t permit him that at the moment.
This is the price that great players pay. They become indispensable figures for both club and country, and subsequently have to play through injury and put their bodies on the line. Saliba has reached this level.
For Arsenal fans not associated with the French national team, they will be hoping for the earliest possible exit from the tournament for Les Blues. If Saliba only has to play three matches and then gets a month or so off to rest and recover, he should be in fine shape to start the new season for the Gunners.
Of course, this is unlikely given the quality France have at their disposal. That said, they are arguably in the group of death with Senegal and Norway, meaning it’s not unfeasible that they do indeed leave North America at the end of the group stage.
