William Saliba

Analysis: Saliba was one of the few bright spots for France alongside Dayot Upamecano in a back line that looked shaky and out of sync during a sloppy first half, with Senegal creating the better chances early on, including Ismaila Sarr's missed close-range opportunity in stoppage time. He found his footing as the match wore on and helped bring stability to the defense as France took control after the break and cruised to a comfortable victory. Saliba's leadership and composure at the back will remain key as France look to carry the momentum from this opening win into their next group-stage match.

Jun 13, 2026

Working with team

Saliba resumed regular training sessions Saturday alongside the rest of the French national team prior to the initial World Cup contest versus Senegal, per Fabrice Hawkins.

Analysis: Saliba is no longer dealing with discomfort and is trending toward a starting role throughout the international competition. The center-back recorded 45 minutes in the last friendly game against Norther Ireland and was subbed off as a precaution, avoiding a new injury scare following his return from a back injury. His inclusion as Dayot Upamecano's partner in the middle of a back four would leave Ibrahima Konate and Maxence Lacroix as depth options. As for his fantasy potential, Saliba will aim to improve on his World Cup qualifying averages of 4.3 clearances and 4.7 balls recovered per match while holding decent clean sheet chances, even though he'll be facing strong opposition in at least two of the three group stage games against Senegal and Norway, respectively.

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William Saliba

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