Saliba facing five-month lay-off as Arsenal star suffers fresh back injury at World Cup

Arsenal defender William Saliba is facing the prospect of up to five months on the sidelines after suffering a serious back injury during France’s World Cup semi-final defeat by Spain, raising fears he could miss almost half of the 2026-27 Premier League season.

The 25-year-old centre-back was forced off after just half an hour of France’s 2-0 loss in the 2026 World Cup last-four clash on Tuesday, leaving the pitch in clear discomfort and immediately triggering alarm at his club.

According to French newspaper L’Equipe, initial assessments suggest Saliba could be out for between four and five months, potentially ruling him out until December and depriving Arsenal of one of their most important players for the opening stretch of the campaign.

Injury blow in World Cup semi-final

The incident occurred without any contact from a Spanish player. Saliba went down suddenly, clutching his back, and quickly signalled to the bench that he was unable to continue, at a time when France were already trailing 1-0.

He left the field slowly, supported on either side by two members of the French medical team. Head coach Didier Deschamps responded by sending on Crystal Palace defender Maxence Lacroix to partner Dayot Upamecano in central defence.

Spain later doubled their advantage through Pedro Porro, sealing a 2-0 victory and booking a place in the final against Argentina, while condemning France to a defeat that adds to what French media have described as “historic setbacks” not seen for 40 years.

French journalist Julien Laurens reported that Saliba was heard saying after the injury: “ظهري انتهى” – Arabic for “My back is finished” – underlining the severity of the pain the defender was experiencing.

Surgery under consideration for chronic problem

L’Equipe adds that Saliba is now a strong candidate for surgery to address what is described as a chronic back problem that has troubled him for several months.

The operation, if confirmed, would be aimed at resolving the recurring issue that has been managed rather than solved in recent times, both by Arsenal and the French national team’s medical staff.

Throughout the World Cup in North America, France’s doctors closely monitored Saliba’s condition in an effort to manage his workload and reduce the strain on his back. He was rested for the final group match against Norway after qualification for the knockout stage had already been secured.

Key figure in Arsenal’s title triumph

Saliba has been a central figure in Arsenal’s resurgence. During the 2025-26 season, he was one of the standout performers as Mikel Arteta’s side won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years.

His composure in possession and leadership in defence were widely credited as major reasons for Arsenal’s ability to sustain a title challenge and ultimately finish top of the table.

Losing him for potentially five months would be a major setback to Arsenal’s hopes of defending their crown and competing deep into the Champions League.

Saliba had been playing through pain

Saliba had publicly admitted during the World Cup that he had been struggling with back issues for some time, but continued to play due to the importance of club and international fixtures.

He said: “اعاني من بعض المشكلات البسيطة منذ عدة اشهر، وتحاملت على نفسي بسبب مباريات دوري ابطال اوروبا وسباق الدوري الانجليزي.”

He added: “الجهاز الفني تعامل مع حالتي بصورة جيدة للغاية، فكاس العالم تقام مرة واحدة كل اربع سنوات، ولذلك عليك ان تتحامل على نفسك.”

He concluded: “لست في افضل حالاتي البدنية بنسبة 100%، لكن هناك الكثير من اللاعبين الذين يشاركون ايضا وهم ليسوا في كامل جاهزيتهم، ولا يمكن استخدام ذلك كعذر.”

Those remarks now take on added significance in light of the apparent deterioration of his condition and the likelihood of a prolonged absence.

France count cost of semi-final defeat

For France, the loss of Saliba mid-match compounded a difficult night that ended with elimination at the semi-final stage and further scrutiny of the team’s recent record in major tournaments.

The defeat to Spain has been framed in French coverage as part of a sequence of rare setbacks for Les Bleus on the global stage.

For both country and club, attention will now turn to medical assessments in the coming days to determine whether surgery is required – and just how long one of the world’s leading centre-backs will be out of action.