WILLIAM SALIBA'S QUIET ASCENT

An indispensable member of the Arsenal lineup and a first-team regular for France, with whom he will compete in his second World Cup this summer, Saliba has established himself as one of the world's best defenders. Behind his accomplishments on the pitch, there's a quiet man who is making his mark, a leader who shows rather than tells. This steadfast champion who embodies a certain understated strength joins us for a chat after Arsenal's recent win.

- BY ALEXANDRE AFLALO

THERE IS SOMETHING in William Saliba’s gaze that tells two distinct stories. On the surface, the impression is one of unwavering determination. He has a solidity, a ruggedness, a self-assurance; not a shadow of doubt passes over his dark eyes. But there is also a distinct undertone, a sense of absolute calm, modesty and almost a form of nonchalance which, far from being a flaw, has been elevated to a cardinal virtue by many of the younger generation he belongs to at the age of 23. And indeed, while the first aspect is undeniable on the pitch, it is the second that defines him when he’s not competing. “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 there 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 May 19, Saliba nevertheless has, at the time of our meeting, a rather modest list of honours to his name. Just two Community Shields (the English Champions’ trophy), which he 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 having cinched the Premier League title and looking forward to a potential Champions League triumph (the final against Paris Saint-Germain had yet to be played at the time this story was written). One thing seems certain, however, and it explains why he has something to say to us today: “I believe I am one of the best defenders in the world.”

The fight to be first