Official | Arsenal’s William Saliba pulls out of the France squad with ankle injury, Benjamin Pavard called up

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·31. August 2025

Official | Arsenal’s William Saliba pulls out of the France squad with ankle injury, Benjamin Pavard called up

Arsenal centre-back William Saliba (24) has been officially pulled out of the France squad after sustaining an ankle injury in Sunday’s Premier League clash between Liverpool and the Gunners. Saliba has sustained a left ankle sprain, according to the French FA. The 24-year-old was one of the four centre-backs – with Ibrahima Konaté, Dayot Upemacano and Lucas Hernandez – to be called up by Didier Deschamps on Wednesday as Les Bleus will start their campaign to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.

France will play Ukraine away in Poland on Friday, before taking on Iceland at Paris’ Parc des Princes. To replace the injured Saliba, Deschamps has called Inter Milan defender Benjamin Pavard. The Arsenal centre-back is not the only France player to pull out of the squad. Manchester City playmaker Rayan Cherki has been replaced by Liverpool striker Hugo Ekitike, who earned his first senior France call-up.