Arsenal star emerges as doubt for World Cup after aggravating injury in Champions League final

Arsenal defender William Saliba is in a ‘race against time’ ahead of this summer’s World Cup (Picture: Getty)

William Saliba is reportedly a doubt for France’s World Cup campaign after aggravating a pre-existing injury in Arsenal’s Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

The 25-year-old enjoyed another outstanding season for Arsenal both domestically and in Europe, and played the entirety of Saturday’s spectacle at Budapest’s Puskas Arena.

There had been jubilant scenes just a week-and-a-half earlier as the Gunners triumphed – after three successive runners-up finishes – in the Premier League, but it wasn’t to be for Saliba abd Co against PSG, with Luis Enrique’s men prevailing via a nail-biting penalty shootout.

And according to French publication Foot Mercato, there could be further frustration and heartache for Saliba, despite the centre-back joining the rest of his team-mates for the club’s open-top bus parade on Sunday.

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It’s claimed Saliba exacerbated a pre-existing injury during the final and is in a ‘race against time’ to prove his fitness to France head coach Didier Deschamps.

The report adds that Saliba ‘could be out for several weeks’, therefore ‘jeopardising his participation’ for this summer’s World Cup, with Les Bleus kicking off against Senegal in just over a fortnight’s time.

France return to action against Iraq six days later, before wrapping up their Group I campaign versus Norway on June 26.

Saliba played the entirety of Arsenal’s loss in Hungary (Picture: Getty)

The central defender has been capped 31 times at international level (Picture: Getty)

Saliba was sidelined with an ankle problem at the start of March, which meant he missed Arsenal’s clashes with Brighton and Mansfield in the Premier League and FA Cup respectively.

The defender then returned for Arsenal’s Champions League last-16 first leg with Bayer Leverkusen, only to feel discomfort in his left ankle again – forcing him to miss France’s friendlies with Brazil and Colombia.

This summer, Saliba is hoping to make his second appearance at a World Cup having featured just once in Qatar when France suffered a shock group-stage defeat at the hands of Tunisia.

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He played a starring role two years later at Euro 2024 and was named in the official Team of the Tournament.

The former Saint-Etienne centre-half has been capped 31 times by his country.

Saliba appears a shoo-in to be named in the PFA Team of the Year for a fourth season in a row having starred alongside Gabriel Magalhaes at the heart of Mikel Arteta’s defence this term.

Saliba was in attendance at Arsenal’s open-top bus parade on Sunday (Picture: Getty)

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The France international played a total of 52 games in all competitions for the Gunners, including 36 appearances in the league as the north Londoners ended their 22-year wait to be crowned English champions.

‘I started to feel we could do it in March,’ Saliba revealed last week.

‘After the game against Everton, it was clear to me that we would win the league.

‘It was a hard game, and we knew that we would not play in the Premier League until after the international break, so that win was so important.

‘It was a tough game, and afterwards, City dropped points against West Ham, so it was a good day for us.

‘When we came back from the national team, it was a bit hard. But we kept going, we believed in ourselves, even after the loss against City. And now we are champions.’

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