William Saliba Faces Lengthy Lay‑off After World Cup Injury Scare
Arsenal may be without their French centre‑back William Saliba until December after he suffered a suspected serious back injury during France’s 2‑0 World Cup semi‑final loss to Spain.
The 25‑year‑old defender lasted only 30 minutes on the pitch before signalling to the bench for a substitution, despite appearing to be under no immediate pressure.
Saliba walked off slowly with the assistance of two members of France’s medical staff as Didier Deschamps introduced Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix.
According to talkSPORT, French journalist Julien Laurens reported that Saliba could be heard saying, “My back is gone” after leaving the pitch. French newspaper L’Équipe added that Arsenal fear the centre‑back could be sidelined for four to five months, with surgery likely needed to address a long‑standing back problem.
The setback is a major concern for the Premier League champions, as Saliba played a central role in Arsenal’s title‑winning 2025/26 campaign. He was also one of France’s standout performers at the World Cup, despite following a modified training programme to manage persistent back pain.
Prior to the semi‑final, Saliba had already missed France’s final group match against Norway to protect his fitness after qualification for the knockout rounds was secured. He recently admitted he had been carrying the injury throughout Arsenal’s Premier League title run‑in and their Champions League campaign.
France’s evening deteriorated further after Saliba’s exit, as Spain doubled their lead through Pedro Porro in the 58th minute to book a place in the World Cup final, where they will face Argentina following the South Americans’ 2‑1 win over England.
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