Saliba limps off with back injury as France fall behind Spain in World Cup semi-final

William Saliba was substituted in the 29th minute of France’s World Cup semi-final against Spain after pointing to his back, leaving Les Bleus a man down in defence while already trailing 1-0.

The Arsenal centre-back went to ground and immediately indicated discomfort in his back, an area that has caused him problems in recent years. The 25-year-old could not continue and was replaced by Crystal Palace’s Maxence Lacroix.

Spain had taken the lead on 22 minutes when Lucas Digne fouled Lamine Yamal inside the box, and Mikel Oyarzabal converted the resulting penalty despite Mike Maignan diving the right way. It was the first time France had conceded at this World Cup.

Saliba’s withdrawal compounded a difficult evening for Didier Deschamps’ side. The defender had been reported ahead of the tournament to be weighing up surgery to address his back problem, and he notably missed the final 15 games of Arsenal’s 2022-23 season with the same issue.

He will undergo tests to determine the extent of the injury, and it remains unclear whether he will be available for France’s next fixture — either the final or the third-place play-off.

The setback could have implications for Arsenal beyond this tournament. The Gunners have recently been linked with West Ham centre-back Dinos Mavropanos, whom they sold for up to £5 million in 2022, and Saliba’s latest injury may accelerate their interest in defensive reinforcements.