World Cup 2026: Saliba and Upamecano miss France training ahead of Spain showdown

France were handed a boost ahead of their 2026 FIFA World Cup semi-final against Spain after captain Kylian Mbappe returned to training, although central defenders William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano were absent from Saturday’s session.

Les Bleus resumed training at their base camp west of Boston after being given a day off following Thursday’s 2-0 quarter-final victory over Morocco.

Mbappe, who suffered an ankle knock late in the win over the Atlas Lions, took part in the warm-up and full training, easing concerns over his availability for Tuesday’s last-four encounter.

Mbappe and Tchouameni return

The France captain had already played down fears over his injury after the quarter-final, insisting the problem was not serious.

Midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni also returned to training after missing the victory over Morocco because of a thigh injury, providing another positive update for coach Didier Deschamps.

Saliba and Upamecano managed ahead of Spain test

France’s only absentees from the session were first-choice central defenders Saliba and Upamecano.

Saliba has been managing a back problem throughout the tournament and has missed several training sessions as part of a programme designed to keep him fit for matches.

According to L’Équipe, Upamecano was rested as part of the team’s load management plan after experiencing foot pain during the competition.

Despite their absence, both defenders are expected to recover in time to face Spain in the World Cup semi-finals.

Focus shifts to semi-final showdown

France will hold another training session on Sunday morning before travelling to Dallas later in the day for one of the tournament’s biggest fixtures.

The defending European heavyweights will be aiming to overcome Spain and book a place in the World Cup final, with coach Didier Deschamps expected to have the majority of his squad available despite the minor injury concerns.