World Cup 2026: France handed William Saliba injury lift as Senegal opener looms

France have received a timely boost ahead of the World Cup after defender William Saliba returned to full training, easing concerns over his fitness at a critical stage of their preparation.

The Arsenal centre back had been sidelined for two days due to a recurring back issue that has troubled him across the latter half of the 2025-26 season. His return to the main group is seen internally as a significant relief for Didier Deschamps, who is already managing workload concerns across several key players.

Saliba’s importance to the French defensive structure has grown steadily, and his availability is expected to be crucial as they aim to mount another serious challenge for global football’s biggest prize.

Deschamps’ side eye title push

Didier Deschamps leads a squad widely regarded as one of the favourites for the tournament, with expectations high following a strong qualification campaign and a deep pool of elite talent across all departments.

France enter the competition with the pressure of history and reputation, having consistently reached the latter stages of major tournaments under Deschamps’ leadership. The ambition is clear: go one step further and secure the trophy on July 19.

However, attention is already fixed on a tricky opening assignment against Senegal, a fixture carrying added narrative weight given past encounters between the two nations.

Opening test against familiar rivals

France begin their campaign against Senegal national football team, the side that famously defeated them 1-0 in the opening match of the 2002 World Cup, a result still referenced as one of the tournament’s major shocks.

The meeting adds psychological edge to an already high-stakes opener, with France determined to avoid any early setback in a group stage expected to set the tone for their title ambitions.

Back injury scare during warm-up schedule

Saliba’s setback came during a delicate phase of preparation after he featured for 45 minutes in a 3-1 friendly victory over Northern Ireland before being withdrawn at half time and replaced by Maxence Lacroix.

Medical staff have since managed the issue carefully, with his return to training suggesting the problem is not considered serious enough to threaten his participation in the tournament opener.