Will William Saliba play tonight for France vs Northern Ireland in pre-World Cup friendly?
(Courtesy : Getty)
William Saliba has been suffering from a back issue for a long while.
After losing 2-1 to the Ivory Coast in the first warm-up match, France are set to face Northern Ireland at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Nord, which also serves as the home stadium of Ligue 1 side LOSC Lille, on June 8, in their second fixture. The two-time champions have a star-studded line-up, but a few players were missing from their first warm-up game.
Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue were given extra time to recover after their UEFA Champions League final clash against Arsenal. They are also set to return in France’s final warm-up match before the World Cup. However, fans might have been eager to know if William Saliba is close to returning to the Les Bleus squad.
Also Read: Preview: France vs Northern Ireland prediction, odds, where to watch, time
Will William Saliba play vs Northern Ireland?
Arsenal defender William Saliba has been suffering from a persistent back issue, raising questions about his availability for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. According to reports, the Frenchman has been going through a lot of pain, and his back issue requires serious medical attention, which includes a surgical procedure.
Saliba is expected to undergo the required surgery after the FIFA World Cup. However, despite all the issues, the Frenchman was named in Didier Deschamps’ 26-match squad for the summer competition.
Speaking ahead of France’s warm-up fixture against Northern Ireland, Les Bleus boss Deschamps revealed that all the team’s players will be available for the game. He claimed that the medical staff have been looking after Saliba and his back issue, despite which the 25-year-old has managed to play throughout the 2025-26 season.
“All 26 players will be available for tomorrow’s match. He 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 [of the Champions League] for 120 minutes.”
He missed France’s warm-up game against the Ivory Coast. However, he can probably be drafted into France’s starting line-up for the match against Northern Ireland.
France’s 2026 FIFA World Cup group
France will start their 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Senegal on June 16. Later, they will face Iraq on June 22 and then Norway on June 26 in their last Group I match.
Will William Saliba play tonight against Northern Ireland?
Ousmane Dembele is likely to play for France in their last warm-up game ahead of the World Cup.
Where will the France vs Northern Ireland match take place?
The match will take place at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy in Nord.
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