WILLIAM SALIBA is ignoring his Arsenal teammates as the defender bids to defy his France doubters.
The Gunners star, 23, has decided not to keep in touch with his club pals playing for other nations during Euro 2024 in a bid to give everything to France.
Asked whether he was in contact with the likes of Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice, he said: “I haven’t spoken to anyone from Arsenal. I will leave them be for the tournament.
“The coach is on vacation, you have to leave him alone. I already see my teammates enough during the season!
“My France teammates are giving me enough support.”
Saliba admitted he was surprised to be given a start in Les Bleus’ opener against Austria on Monday, keeping a clean sheet in Dusseldorf as Didier Dechamps men won 1-0.
While many have hailed Saliba as one of the best defenders in the Premier League under Mikel Arteta, he has struggled to make his mark with France.
Dayot Upamecano, who started alongside Saliba against Austria, and Liverpool’s Ibrahima Konate are the usual pairing at the back at international level.
The Gunners man has not had many chances to show he can replicate his Arsenal form for his country and earlier this year was even criticised by his manager.
Speaking in March Deschamps said the defender was having a good season but “does things that I don’t like so much.”
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But the veteran France boss has been impressed by Saliba’s performances in training since the squad gathered at Clairefontaine last month and gave him the nod ahead of Konate against Austria.
There were a couple of hairy moments at times in Dusseldorf, but Saliba ended with a clean sheet and praise from fans and reporters back home.
It was a crucial step for someone who has struggled with confidence when it comes to international football – admitting when speaking from their Paderborn base that playing for his country brings added pressure.
Asked if the start came as a surprise, Saliba said: “I wasn’t really expecting it but when I got called up for the Euros you know you have to be ready for the team.
“I played the last friendly and kept a clean sheet and now I’ve got more confidence than the previous matches.
“The national team jersey is heavier than the club jersey, we have a whole country behind us.
“Competition is intense. We are lucky to have a lot of good centre backs.
“Usually it’s Upamecano and Konate who start and who set the bar high.
“So I know that when I start I must not do less than that. We pull each other up, we’re all friends.”
Saliba’s journey with France – having to silence critics and show his class under pressure – is nothing new.
Arsenal signed the young defender from St. Etienne in 2019, sending him back to the French club for that season.
Two more loans, to Nice and Marseille, followed before finally being given a chance at The Emirates and becoming the formidable force fans see today.
Saliba added: “When I was on loan I wanted to come back to Arsenal and show that I can play in this team and it was the same with the national team.
“I want to start games and prove that the coach can count on me. I will try to do my best when the coach needs me.”
Having had doubts early on in his career, it was at Marseille where things really clicked.
He said: “The biggest turnaround was when I went on loan to Marseille.
“The first six months at Arsenal I didn’t play and then went to Nice for six months.
“Afterwards when I went to Marseille I improved a lot quickly. That gave me my first step into the French team. There was a year and a half between Nice and Marseille and it was good to stay at the top level.”Having taken his chance at a major tournament with France, Saliba is hoping for another shot when Les Bleus face the Netherlands in Leipzig on Friday night – an opportunity to repeat the trick of his growth at Arsenal with his country.
FRANCE are the one nation all England fans are truly afraid of.
They are many punters’ favourites after knocking the Three Lions out of the 2022 World Cup and will be hoping to do much better than at Euro 2020, when they lost to Switzerland in the last 16.
MANAGER: Didier Deschamps
Coming up to 12 years in the job, the only thing missing from his CV is a European Championship.
STAR MAN: Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe’s PSG may have underachieved on the European stage but he remains France’s most deadly threat, with a World Cup trophy and a World Cup final hat-trick to his name.
How France attack
Expect to see France play in a fluid 4-3-3 – which becomes 4-2-3-1 in possession – throughout the tournament.
Giroud acts as the focal point in the attack with the two wide players and Griezmann as No 10 supporting.
How France defend
We can expect to see France defend high with an emphasis on winning back possession as far up the pitch as possible.
France will stagger their defensive shape when the opposition are in possession.
Read the full France Euro 2024 guide here, including predicted line-ups, odds and Wags.
