William Saliba

Analysis: Saliba was back on the pitch Monday as France played in a friendly, starting and playing 45 minutes before a halftime exit. The defender would be taken off due to precaution following his injury, a pre-planned substitution ahead of the contest. This should clear the defender of his injury after some worries ahead of their World Cup opener, a major return for the French team. He should then start moving forward in the group stage alongside Dayot Upamecano, unlikely to be risked much between now and their opener against Senegal on June 16.

Jun 8, 2026

Trains fully, option for friendly

Saliba (back) is feeling better after being present at France's team training session and could feature in Monday's final pre-tournament friendly against Northern Ireland, according to Saber Desfarges of TF1.

Analysis: Saliba had been nursing a back issue in recent days but his return to team training is an encouraging development ahead of France's World Cup opener against Senegal on June 16. The Arsenal center-back remains a certain starter in Didier Deschamps' defensive lineup when the tournament gets underway, and his swift recovery puts any lingering concerns firmly to rest.

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William Saliba

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