Despite shining for Arsenal and receiving accolades in the Premier League, William Saliba struggles to secure regular playing time with the France national team.
William Saliba, the talented defender for Arsenal, finds himself in a challenging position despite his stellar performances at the club level. Didier Deschamps, the France national team coach, has shed light on Saliba's limited game time for Les Bleus despite his strong showings for Arsenal.
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Despite earning a place in the prestigious PFA Premier League Team of the Year, his excellence at the club level has not translated into regular opportunities with the France national team.
With only 12 caps to his name, Saliba faces an uphill battle in securing a starting spot for Les Bleus.
Deschamps' Insights and Hurdles for Saliba
Didier Deschamps, while acknowledging Saliba's strong season, pointed out areas of improvement and the challenges he faces in breaking into the France starting lineup.
Deschamps highlighted the importance of game time and hinted at potential confidence issues that Saliba might be facing.
“He is having a good season, but he also does things that I don’t like so much. For France, he has limited game time, but when he plays, that hasn’t necessarily gone well. The hierarchy doesn’t favour him at the moment, but he is here," Deschamps said, per GFFN.
"Dayot Upamecano has had game time and perhaps William has had less. With certain players, I make sure to persevere, because it can be confidence or little blockages that can shift. Some don’t have any concerns, some need game time. William has had less game time, so that doesn’t allow him to be very calm."
Despite being a part of the squad, Saliba's lack of minutes hinders his progress in claiming a prominent role in the team.