Facing Spain in the 2026 World Cup semifinals, France star defender William Saliba had to exit the game. France and Spain are battling for a place in the 2026 World Cup final at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, but Les Bleus suffered an early setback when William Saliba was forced off the field under concerning circumstances.
In the 28th minute, with France chasing the ball in midfield and under no immediate pressure, Saliba went down and signaled to the bench to be replaced. The nature and severity of the injury have not yet been confirmed, but the sight of one of France’s key defenders leaving the field so early in a semifinal immediately raised alarm.
Didier Deschamps turned to Maxence Lacroix as Saliba’s replacement, slotting the Crystal Palace defender alongside Dayot Upamecano in the center of the backline. Lacroix’s only previous minutes in the tournament came in the final group stage match against Norway, with the defender serving as an unused substitute in every other game.
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