**William Saliba has admitted he is not operating at 100 per cent as France prepare to face Iraq in their second World Cup group game on Monday.** The Arsenal centre-back has been managing physical discomfort for several months, having carried the issue through the final stretch of Arsenal’s season before joining up with Didier Deschamps’ squad in North America.
Saliba has still been involved for France, but his admission will be closely watched at Arsenal after a demanding campaign in which Mikel Arteta leaned heavily on his first-choice defensive core. The 25-year-old said he has been gritting his teeth because of the Champions League and Premier League run-in, while stressing that France’s staff are managing him carefully, [according to The Guardian’s World Cup injury round-up](https://www.theguardian.com/football/2026/jun/21/england-declan-rice-hamstring-nerve-pain-arsenal-schedule-world-cup).
Arsenal will want Saliba protected during France duty
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The key detail for Arsenal is not simply that Saliba is playing. It is that he is playing while openly short of full fitness, with France facing Iraq before a final group match against Norway.
Saliba remains one of Arsenal’s most important players, and the club will need him fresh when pre-season begins after a title-winning domestic campaign and a long European run. His comments do not amount to a fresh lay-off, but they underline why Arsenal supporters will track every France team sheet, substitution and training update closely over the next week.