Deschamps clears Saliba to face Northern Ireland as Dembélé returns for World Cup warm-up

Didier Deschamps has moved to ease fears over William Saliba’s fitness, confirming all 26 France squad members are available for Monday’s friendly against Northern Ireland — the team’s last warm-up before the 2026 World Cup. Ousmane Dembélé is also set to return to the starting lineup after being given extra recovery time following PSG’s Champions League final victory.

Saliba has been managing a persistent back issue, with reports suggesting the Arsenal centre-back may require surgery once the tournament ends. Deschamps was quick to downplay any immediate concern, pointing to the defender’s consistent availability for club and country as evidence that the problem is under control.

“All 26 players will be available for tomorrow’s match,” Deschamps told Telefoot. “He is being looked after by the medical staff, and we are also managing him based on how he feels. But it’s something he’s had for several weeks and it hasn’t prevented him from playing every match with Arsenal, including that final [of the Champions League] for 120 minutes.”

Dembélé was an unused substitute in France’s 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast, having been granted additional rest after featuring in PSG’s gruelling Champions League final against Arsenal. Deschamps confirmed the winger is now ready to start alongside Désiré Doué, who also sat out that defeat for similar reasons.

“Yes, like other players. Ousmane is one of the players, like Desire, who didn’t play after the final. I felt it was important for him to recover,” Deschamps said when asked directly whether Dembélé would feature from the off.

Off the pitch, however, the mood in the French camp is not entirely settled. Reports have emerged of tension between senior players and the French Football Federation over image rights. Kylian Mbappé and Rayan Cherki are said to be unhappy that their likenesses are being used in an advertising campaign for a sports-betting company that holds an official FFF partnership, and are seeking clarification from the federation.

Despite that distraction, Deschamps will be focused on sharpening France’s attacking cohesion ahead of their World Cup opener against Senegal — a fixture that carries the weight of history after France’s shock group-stage exit to the same opponents at the 2002 tournament.