William Saliba (25), who has been struggling with an injury for several weeks, is reported to have played in the World Cup whilst suffering from a back fracture, according to RMC Sport.

This makes the Arsenal player’s performances all the more remarkable, after he sustained the injury during a Premier League match a month ago.

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Forced to take painkillers and undergo daily treatment, the AS Saint-Étienne academy graduate even had to miss several training sessions in order to be fit to play in all seven of Les Bleus’ matches.

Although he started again against Spain in the semi-final, he had to be substituted after half an hour, unable to continue playing. Whilst the length of his absence has not yet been determined, it seems certain that Saliba will be sidelined for several months whilst he recovers fully. This is a huge blow for the Gunners, for whom the Frenchman is a key player.

GFFN | Léo Aschi