France were forced into an early defensive change in their World Cup semifinal against Spain when William Saliba went down injured in the 29th minute, turning a big night into an immediate concern for Didier Deschamps' side.
Maxence Lacroix came on to replace him, with France trailing 1-0 at the time. It was a significant moment in a match that had already asked plenty of France's back line, especially because Saliba had been one of the team's most reliable performers on the route to the last four.
Saliba injury adds to France's defensive concerns
The problem was not entirely out of the blue. During the group stage, Saliba had already admitted he was managing his condition and said he had been dealing with “some minor niggles for several months.” He also made clear that he was not at 100 percent.
That is important context because France had not conceded a goal in their first three knockout matches before Tuesday. Losing a starting defender in a semifinal is difficult at any time, but it becomes even more costly when a side has built its run on defensive control.
A player France and Arsenal both rely on
Saliba has been a force all season for Arsenal and helped the club win its first Premier League title in 22 years. That level of consistency is part of why his absence matters so much for France as well. He is the kind of defender a coach can usually trust in major matches, even if his own words made clear he had been pushing through discomfort.
He said: “I’ve been gritting my teeth because there was the Champions League and the Premier League.” He added that “the coaching staff are handling it very well,” but also acknowledged the wider reality of tournament football: “The World Cup comes around only once every four years, so you’ve got to grit your teeth.”
That is the balance elite players often have to strike in tournament summers. Saliba was clear that he was trying to keep going despite the issue, saying he was “not at 100 percent” and that “you can’t make excuses.”
What comes next
For France, the immediate question is how they cope without him if the injury limits his involvement further. For Saliba, the concern is whether this latest setback is simply the cost of playing through pain, or the kind of issue that can quickly become more serious after a heavy tournament schedule.
Either way, France lost one of their most dependable defenders at a decisive moment, and that is the sort of blow that can shape a semifinal.
