France centre-half William Saliba admits he's been "gritting his teeth" through a persistent back problem to help Les Bleus in North America. | AFP
France centre-half William Saliba said Saturday he has been "gritting his teeth" and playing through the pain at the Fifa World Cup 2026 after suffering from a back problem for the past few months.
The defender was a key figure in helping his club Arsenal secure their first English Premier League title in 22 years earlier this year, but revealed that he is not operating at "100%" in North America as he bids to help France win a third World Cup.
"I've had some minor niggles for several months. I've been gritting my teeth because there was the (Uefa) Champions League and the Premier League. But the coaching staff are handling it very well," Saliba said, ahead of his country's upcoming Group I match against Iraq on Monday night.
"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 per cent either — you can't make excuses," he added.
