Having missed the training sessions on Thursday and Friday, William Saliba (25) returned on Sunday, ahead of France’s FIFA World Cup opener against Senegal on Tuesday. 

The Arsenal defender is currently managing back pain. Prior to flying to the US, there had been fears that the Arsenal defender’s FIFA World Cup dreams could be curtailed by the issue. However, the severity of the problem has been downplayed by Didier Deschamps and France’s medical staff. It is still an issue that needs managing, however, and there is a prospect of Saliba undergoing surgery on the problem post-tournament. 

The centre-back did not train with the first team in Boston. However, he has now participated in his first session since arriving in the US. It is timely, too, as there is only one more session before Les Bleus’ opener against Senegal. L’Équipe reports that all 26 France players were involved in Sunday’s session.