William Saliba is pushing through a back problem to help France at the 2026 World Cup, refusing to hide behind fitness concerns. The 25-year-old defender completed the full 90 minutes as France opened their campaign with a 3-1 victory over Senegal, and attention now shifts to facing Iraq.
France also benefited from Kylian Mbapp’s impact in that first match, with the forward scoring twice after half-time. Saliba, already viewed as one of the leading centre-backs in world football, is expected to continue starting, despite recent doubts about physical readiness before the tournament.
Saliba explained that the back issue has lingered for some time but has not changed determination to compete. "I've had some minor niggles for several months. I've been
gritting my teeth because there was the Champions League and the Premier League," he said. "But the coaching staff are handling it very well. The World Cup comes round only once every four years, so you've got to grit your teeth. I'm not at 100%, but there are plenty of players who aren't at 100% eitheryou can't make excuses. "
Kylian Mbapp didn't have a great first half. But he was unrecognisable after the break, and his two goals earn France a 3-1 win over Senegal to kick off their 2026 World Cup. pic.twitter.com/V0z88MTCVDOpta Analyst (@OptaAnalyst) June 16, 2026
Data projections back France to challenge deep into the tournament. Opta’s supercomputer currently lists Didier Deschamps’ side as favourites, assigning a 15.1% chance of lifting the World Cup. That figure underlines expectations around a squad already packed with experience from previous tournaments.
History also points to France’s strong group-stage form in recent editions. They are attempting to win their first two matches at a World Cup for the fourth consecutive tournament. Before this run, France had managed that achievement in only one of 13 previous appearances, back in 1998.
For Saliba and France, the focus now is maintaining momentum while handling fitness demands. The defender’s willingness to manage pain, combined with Mbapp’s attacking threat and positive predictive models, leaves France in a solid position as Iraq prepare to meet a confident Les Bleus side.
