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  "path": "/2026/06/07/william-saliba-injury-ongoing-several-weeks-says-didier-deschamps-28682577/",
  "publishedAt": "2026-06-07T14:13:38.000Z",
  "site": "https://metro.co.uk",
  "tags": [
    "Football",
    "Sport",
    "Arsenal",
    "Didier Deschamps",
    "France football team",
    "William Saliba",
    "World Cup",
    "Sign up here",
    "Paris",
    "Dayot Upamecano",
    "Ibrahima Konate",
    "Senegal",
    "Norway",
    "Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source"
  ],
  "textContent": "Arsenal centre-back William Saliba is dealing with a nagging back issue (Picture: Getty Images)\n\nWilliam Saliba has been dealing with a back injury for ‘several weeks’ but is available to play for France, says manager Didier Deschamps.\n\nThe Arsenal defender played 50 games in all competitions this season, the third campaign on the spin he has hit the half century of appearances.\n\nThe 25-year-old was first picked by France in 2022 and has racked up 31 caps under Deschamps.\n\nSaliba heads to the World Cup this summer as a starter for his country, but there were fears that his involvement was in doubt due to injury.\n\n##  All the World Cup action\n\nGet everything you need to know about the World Cup – England updates, the games to watch and stories you missed – in five minutes, at 1pm, every day. Sign up here.\n\nAfter Arsenal were beaten on penalties by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final, reports emerged that Saliba’s ongoing back issue could see him miss the World Cup.\n\nHe was left out of a 2-1 friendly defeat to Ivory Coast on Thursday, which saw Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konate start at the back.\n\nDeschamps has since allayed serious injury fears, but says the problem continues and is being treated by the national team’s medical staff.\n\nWilliam Saliba is playing through injury (Picture: Getty Images)\n\nFrance take on Northern Ireland in a friendly on Monday, with the manager telling Telefoot: ‘All 26 players will be available for tomorrow’s match.\n\n‘He [Saliba] is being looked after by the medical staff, and we are also managing him based on how he feels. 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.’\n\nThe French squad is yet to fly out to America for the World Cup, with the friendly against Northern Ireland played in Lille on Monday night.\n\nThe 2022 runners-up get their campaign underway on Tuesday June 16 against Senegal, before Group I clashes with Iraq and Norway.\n\nSaliba has been training with his France teammates (Picture: Getty Images)\n\nThis summer’s World Cup will be Deschamps’ last tournament in charge of France as he prepares to bring a 14-year stint in the role to an end.\n\nPSG superstar Ousmane Dembele told ESPN of the coach, who won the 2018 World Cup: ‘We know it’s the last competition for the coach. He’s a very high level who has a lot of results with the French team. We’re very happy to have him of course. We already played the World Cup with him.\n\n‘That’s what we’re essentially focused on. His leaving isn’t really impacting our mentality in this tournament, we want to finish well with him by reaching the World Cup final. He’s a coach who has counted on each of these players in the French team. He sends us congratulations or motivates us after a match.\n\n‘He’s very important to me personally in my career. We’ll try to do well with him as a coach because he deserves it.’\n\nComment now Comments \nAdd Metro as a Preferred Source on Google\nAdd as preferred source\n",
  "title": "France manager Didier Deschamps speaks out on William Saliba injury issue"
}