Horror! France player competed at the World Cup with a broken back
William Saliba paid a terrible price for representing his country at the World Cup.
Details: According to journalist Fabrice Hawkins, the French national team’s centre-back played almost every match at the 2026 World Cup despite suffering from a back fracture. The defender took to the pitch through excruciating pain, determined to help his team until the very end.
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Reports say Saliba had been battling back problems since the very start of the tournament, yet continued to deliver a high level of play. His body finally gave in during the semi-final clash against Spain: the defender had to leave the pitch as early as the 30th minute, and France went on to lose 0-2.
Now Arsenal are awaiting his return to undergo further medical examination. Surgery remains one of the possible treatment options, but an official recovery timeline has yet to be established.
Reminder: Urgent! Arsenal and France star could be sidelined for up to five months.
Steven Perez
Dailysports's expert