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William Saliba Faces Injury Setback

2026-06-23 · William Saliba · Player Focus

William Saliba Faces Injury Setback

William Saliba could miss the World Cup after picking up an injury during Arsenal's Champions League final defeat to Paris Saint-Germain on Saturday.

What happened?

Saliba played the full 120 minutes of the showpiece Budapest final as Mikel Arteta's side were beaten by PSG on penalties, following a 1-1 draw after extra-time. Gabriel Magalhaes blazed the decisive spot-kick over the bar as the Gunners fell short of claiming Europe's premier club trophy for the first time.

Why it matters for William Saliba

Saliba had been carrying a minor injury into the match, which was worsened during the defeat to PSG at the Puskas Arena. According to Foot Mercato, Saliba's latest setback could potentially jeopardise his place at the forthcoming World Cup in North America, scheduled to kick off on Thursday, June 11.

What comes next?

Saliba has cemented his place in France's preferred centre-back partnership alongside Bayern Munich's Dayot Upamecano. However, manager Didier Deschamps may be forced to reshape his central defensive unit, at least for the opening stages of the World Cup. Saliba could reportedly be sidelined for 'several weeks' and his condition is a 'concern' for the France Football Federation (FFF). Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate and Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix are poised to step up, should Saliba be ruled out for at least one game at the World Cup. France take on Iraq in their second group fixture on Monday, 22 June before facing Norway in their third outing just four days later on Friday, 26 June. Saliba will undoubtedly be eager to recover in time to play his part in France's World Cup campaign, as he sets his sights on a second major honour of the season. He was instrumental in Arteta's side as they were crowned champions of England last month for the first time since 2004, edging out Manchester City to finish top of the table. Despite missing out on the Champions League, Arsenal still marked the achievement on Sunday with an open-top bus parade through the streets to celebrate their Premier League triumph.

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