France Boss Deschamps Criticizes Arsenal Star William Saliba for Lack of Calmness

Didier Deschamps has voiced his concerns over the performance of Arsenal defender William Saliba in the national team, emphasizing the need for the player to exhibit more composure on the field to secure a starting position ahead of the upcoming Euros

France's national team coach, Didier Deschamps, has openly criticized the performance of Arsenal defender William Saliba while urging him to cultivate a more composed demeanor to secure a starting role ahead of the Euros.

Saliba, a rising star at Arsenal under the management of Mikel Arteta since the summer of 2022, has garnered acclaim as one of Europe's most promising defenders.

Despite this, his contributions to the French national team have fallen short of expectations, according to Deschamps, who handed Saliba his senior debut in March 2022, accruing 12 caps thus far, including six starts.

Deschamps, speaking ahead of France's friendly encounter with Chile, highlighted Saliba's mixed form, stating, "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."

In the competition for a starting berth in France's defensive lineup, Saliba faces stiff competition from players such as Dayot Upamecano, Benjamin Pavard, Jules Kounde, and Ibrahima Konate.

Explaining the discrepancy in opportunities between Saliba and his counterparts, Deschamps remarked, "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."