France coach Didier Deschamps said on Wednesday that defender William Saliba is «fine» despite reports that he was a doubt for the 2026 World Cup due to a back injury.
Saliba joined the rest of his France teammates at their pre-tournament camp outside Paris on Tuesday after playing for Arsenal in the UEFA Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain last weekend.
France face Ivory Coast in Nantes on Thursday in a World Cup warm-up match, but Deschamps is expected to limit Saliba’s workload as a precaution.
«William is fine and will be managed. If he had to play tomorrow, he would have played,» Deschamps said.
Deschamps, who will step down as coach after the World Cup, said he would rotate his squad for the upcoming friendlies, with Les Bleus also set to play Northern Ireland in Lille next Monday.
Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue are among five PSG players in the squad who will be closely watched by Deschamps after Saturday’s win in Budapest.
“I will manage the six players involved in the Champions League, and even more those who have started, given what lies ahead,” Deschamps said.
Published on June 3, 2026
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