Sources have informed ESPN that Arsenal and France defender William Saliba is highly unlikely to participate in the World Cup due to a back injury sustained weeks ago.
The 25-year-old is scheduled for scans on Monday to assess the severity of his injury; however, there is concern that he may require extensive rest and treatment, potentially sidelining him for the tournament.
Missing the World Cup would be a significant disappointment for Saliba, especially with his national team being a strong contender for the title. It would also be a considerable setback for coach Didier Deschamps and Les Bleus to lose one of the world’s premier defenders.
Other defenders selected for France include Lucas Digne, Malo Gusto, Lucas Hernández, Theo Hernández, Ibrahima Konaté, Jules Koundé, Maxence Lacroix, and Dayot Upamecano. Notably absent from the squad is Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.
France will compete in Group I at the World Cup, facing off against Senegal, Iraq, and Norway.
Saliba was a critical player for Arsenal, appearing in 50 of their 63 matches across all competitions this season. He played a vital role in their Premier League title-winning campaign and their journey to the Champions League final, where Arsenal narrowly lost to Paris Saint-Germain in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw in Budapest.
Should Saliba be unavailable, France faces the challenge of pursuing World Cup success without one of their top defenders.
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In announcing his 26-man squad, Deschamps expressed: “I have ambition, and I want the players to share that. However, I also want us to maintain our humility. I’m not going to pretend that we are not among the teams capable of becoming world champions. There are eight or ten teams that can legitimately claim that, and it’s not about proclaiming: ‘We are the best, we are the strongest.'”