Top News

There is something in William Saliba’s gaze that tells two different stories. At first glance, the impression is one of unwavering determination. He has strength, resilience, and self-confidence; not a trace of doubt crosses his dark eyes. Yet there is also another side, marked by calmness, humility, and a certain nonchalance which, far from being a weakness, has become a defining quality for many people of his generation at the age of 25. While the first aspect is clearly visible on the pitch, it is the second that defines him away from competition. “I’m someone who prefers to speak only when there’s something to say,” he tells us. “Those who should speak have won titles and achieved great goals. When you haven’t reached them yet, you shouldn’t talk as much; you should work hard first.”​
“Trophies are what make people remember you,” Saliba tells us. Crowned an English champion on 19 May, Saliba still had a relatively modest collection of honours at the time of our meeting. Just two Community Shields, won with Arsenal in 2020 and 2023. “Football is a team sport. I’m still missing the big titles, and once I’ve got those, it’ll be even better,” he told us after securing the Premier League title and looking ahead to a possible Champions League triumph (the final against PSG had not yet been played when this story was written). One thing seems certain, however, and it explains why he has something to say today: “I believe I am one of the best defenders in the world.”​
This view is not new, but it becomes harder to dispute with every passing day, even though he insists he has “not yet reached [his] peak.” For now, his qualities have been acknowledged by opposing strikers. While the expressions of his teammates range between calmness and determination, those of his opponents have shifted from confidence to fear. In an interview with the French sports newspaper L’Équipe in 2024, he revealed that his manager, Mikel Arteta, wanted “players to be afraid when they see [him]”. Mission accomplished? “I’m making progress. The more my level improves, the more I feel it on the pitch,” he agrees.​
At Arsenal today, Saliba is one of the established names on the team sheet. He officially joined the club in 2019 but only began playing regularly for the first team in 2022, and his four years at the club make him one of the most experienced players in the dressing room. “This is where I dreamed of being: a first-team regular at a big club. It’s something I love.” But he understands better than anyone how fragile that status can be, having spent time on several loan spells in Ligue 1 to gain experience and prepare himself for the demands of the Premier League, the toughest league of all. “I knew I had the qualities and the talent to be a top-class player, so I fought to return to Arsenal and prove that I belonged there. I’m careful not to become complacent. Football moves too quickly: if you ease off, someone will come and take your place immediately.”​
He has a mentality perfectly suited to his position. As a child growing up in the Paris suburb of Bondy, just like Kylian Mbappé, he dreamed of being a striker and scoring goals. But “God decided I’d be a centre-back, and I’m very happy with that. Even if I’d had to be a goalkeeper to become a professional, I would have done it. When you’re a kid, you usually watch the strikers more—the ones who score, who provide the decisive passes; they’re the ones who excite you the most. If I’d been able to, I’d have been a striker and scored 30 goals a season. I’m not a star like Mbappé or Dembélé, but in my position I’m one of the best.”