William Saliba might be one of the best center-backs in the Premier League and world football but the French star is yet to establish himself as a starter with the national team.
The 22-year-old was called up to Les Bleus for the current international break, with the European giants set to wrap up their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with showdowns against Gibralter and Greece. However, will the Arsenal defender play a prominent role in the remaining fixtures?
Didier Deschamps opened up about this topic and gave an honest answer to why Saliba is not an established starter for the French national team despite being a key figure for one of Europe's best clubs. According to the manager, the situation surround William at the Emirates Stadium and with the national team are starkly different.
Descamps argues that the Saliba of Arsenal is not the same as the Saliba of the national team as the Frencman is an undisputed starter in North London and does not suffer from a similar level of competition. In the national team, the former Marseille ace has to contend with the likes of Ibrahima Konate, Lucas Hernandez, Dayot Upamecano, Axel Disasi, and Jean-Clair Todibo. Meanwhile, Benjamin Pavard, who played as a fullback for France in the 2018 FIFA World Cup, has begun earning minutes in the center, complicating things for the Gunners ace.
"He hasn't had a lot of game time with us. He is performing well for his club," Deschamps said, as per the Daily Mail.
"At international level, he hasn't always found himself in the best conditions in matches where I've rotated a lot. He isn't in the same psychological situation with his club, where he doesn't ask himself if he'll play at the weekend.
"When he has game time with us, he tells himself he needs to play well because there are others behind him.
"He is not in a psychological situation that is the same as at his club. He has everything he needs to take the next step."
The Frenchman forced his way into the national team last year following his outstanding debut season with Arsenal. However, since then, he has come on as a sub more often than as a starter, starting four games while making six sub cameos.
At the recent World Cup, Raphael Varane was the mainstay in Deschamps' backline, with Upamecano and Konate playing alongside him — the earlier, in particular, was favored. However, the Manchester United defender has since retired but Lucas Hernandez has chosen to play at center-back ahead of Saliba.
France have qualified for Euro 2024, meaning their next two games should see rotation. This could give Saliba the golden opportunity to stake his claim in Deschamps' lineup before next year's European Championship.
