Arsenal defender William Saliba is poised to start for France on Monday evening, following a surprising decision by head coach Didier Deschamps. Despite Saliba’s outstanding performances for Arsenal, Deschamps had previously been hesitant to include him in the starting lineup.
However, reports from L’Equipe on Monday morning confirmed that Saliba will partner with Dayot Upamecano in defense.
Saliba’s inclusion marks his first start for France in nearly a year. His last appearance was in September 2022, when he was substituted at halftime with France trailing 2-0 against Denmark.
Since then, Saliba has established himself as a key player for Arsenal, earning recognition as one of the Premier League’s top centre-backs this season.
The young defender has received strong support from his teammates, including captain Kylian Mbappe, who is also expected to start tonight despite missing some training sessions.
Saliba’s return to the national team lineup comes as a significant boost for Les Bleus, who are looking to solidify their defense ahead of upcoming matches.
