France, Arsenal: the length of William Saliba's absence is revealed

Sidelined with a back injury and facing possible surgery, the Arsenal defender could miss up to five months

World Cup 2026 16 July 2026 at 07:00

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France, Arsenal: the length of William Saliba's absence is revealed

14.07.26 FT World Cup

France

Spain

Heroic for Les Bleus despite severe back pain, William Saliba could now be sidelined for several months.

The 2026 World Cup could leave a heavy toll on William Saliba. According to information from L'Équipe, the French defender, who played through the tournament despite significant back pain, is likely heading for surgery in the coming weeks.

🚨BREAKING: William Saliba is expected to undergo surgery to heal his case of chronic back pain.

Arsenal expect the France centre back to be out of action for 4 to 5 months.

[@lequipe] pic.twitter.com/DWJfXOgrE9
— now.arsenal (@now_arsenaI) July 15, 2026

In fact, the French international reportedly played under painkillers for nearly six weeks, following a strict medical protocol in an attempt to last until the end of the tournament. However, his body finally gave out during the semi-final loss to Spain.

Now, the road ahead looks particularly challenging for the Arsenal defender. Still according to the French daily, the Gunners fear he could be out for four to five months. This lengthy spell on the sidelines could force Saliba to miss a significant part of the start of the season as he seeks to finally resolve this chronic problem.