William Saliba's Injury Raises Alarm for Arsenal in World Cup Semi-Final

Arsenal’s worst World Cup fear flickered into life in Texas as William Saliba limped out of France’s semi-final against Spain, clutching his lower back and leaving Mikel Arteta with an anxious wait.

The centre-back, a cornerstone of Arsenal’s title push last season, lasted barely half an hour in Arlington before his body finally pushed back against weeks of punishment. In a game already tilting away from France, it felt like another heavy blow.

Saliba’s night cut short

Spain were already 1-0 up when the alarm bells rang. Mikel Oyarzabal had put the European champions ahead from the penalty spot, punishing a rash challenge from Lucas Digne. The Paris Saint-Germain left-back misread a high ball, swung through Lamine Yamal in the box, and Spain did not waste the gift.

As France tried to steady themselves, another problem surfaced. Saliba, in possession and under no obvious pressure, suddenly went down on the half-hour mark. He immediately reached for his lower back, the same area that has shadowed him for months.

The defender tried to continue, but the signs were ominous. Maxence Lacroix, long linked with a move to Chelsea, was sent to warm up with urgency. After a brief on-pitch assessment and further checks, the decision was made: Saliba would not see out the 90 minutes. He made way for the Crystal Palace defender, his night – and possibly his summer – cut short.

A risk that finally caught up

This was not a problem out of nowhere. Saliba has been open about the physical toll of his season and this tournament.

“I’ve had some minor niggles for several months,” he told reporters earlier in the competition, ahead of France’s group game against Iraq. The 25-year-old spoke of gritting his teeth through the Champions League and Premier League run-in, trusting France’s coaching staff to manage his workload.

He admitted he had been playing through a back issue all summer, but until this semi-final there had been no major setback. No dramatic collapse, no obvious breaking point. Just a constant, nagging ache that he was prepared to tolerate.

“The World Cup comes round only once every four years, so you’ve got to grit your teeth,” he said.

On this night in Texas, that resolve met its limit.

Arsenal on alert

For Arsenal, the sight of Saliba hobbling off in a World Cup semi-final will have felt painfully familiar. His back problems derailed their run-in once before; they cannot afford a repeat.

France and Didier Deschamps now face their own headache as they chase the biggest prize in the game without one of their most composed defenders. But in North London, the question will be sharper, more specific: how serious is this latest flare-up, and what does it mean for the season ahead?

The answer could shape more than just France’s World Cup – it could define Arsenal’s campaign too.