Problems ahead of the semifinal? Key France players miss training
Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
The French national team continues its preparations for the 2026 World Cup semifinal clash against Spain, but Saturday’s training session took place without two of their main centre-backs — Dayot Upamecano and William Saliba. This was reported by L'Équipe.
After a rest day, Les Bleus held their penultimate session before flying out to Dallas, where they will face Spain. During the portion of training open to the media, both Upamecano and Saliba were absent, raising questions about their readiness for one of the tournament’s most crucial matches.
However, the French camp remains calm. According to the source, Saliba has been training on an individual program due to back issues since the start of the World Cup, so his workload is being deliberately managed.
As for Upamecano, the defender is still recovering from a foot injury. His absence from the main session is also related to load management rather than any setback in his condition.
The medical staff are confident that both players will be ready to take the field in the semifinal against Spain.
