Arsenal supporters have always understood what William Saliba had to offer France. It has taken Didier Deschamps a little time.

Back in March, the wary French manager observed, “He is having a good season, but he also does things that I don’t like so much.” Deschamps never threw away the Arsenal star, though.

Starting an insignificant group game and following a decent second season with the Gunners, Salibo was included in France’s 2022 World Cup and would inevitably find himself among the 26-man Euro 2024 team. Although Saliba’s search for starts just that little bit more difficult, Les Bleus most certainly aren’t barren of top center-halves; rather, the retirement of Raphael Varane and Ibrahima Konate’s downturn in form down the stretch in 2023/24 strengthened Saliba’s prospects.

It was determined that the 23-year-old will start alongside Dayot Upamecano before France’s game against Austria. Three tidy sheets have followed, and the two-time European champions are now getting ready for a Euro 2024 quarter-final.

When Deschamps’s outfit typically comes on, Salibo’s definitely impressed, supporting Deschamps’s delayed faith and saving his greatest work of the tournament so far for the start of France’s knockout stage campaign.

William Saliba keeps Romelu Lukaku out of France’s round of sixteen victory over Belgium at Euro 2024

William Salibo, Romelu LukakuSalibo saw a lot of the muscular Belgian attacker / Eurasia Sport Images/GettyImages.

Romelu Lukaku might no longer be the toned beast attacking Italian defences under Antonio Conte’s direction at Inter. That was a somewhat devilish version of the Belgian striker. Lukaku has returned to a somewhat more beefier and stationary forward since separating from Conte, but his power absolutely still exists. He is still a handful, and few strikers have superior pinning and rolling of a center-back.

Salibia never bit.

This could’ve been a daunting match-up for the young Arsenal defender, but Saliba has relished the big occasions during his Arsenal career to date. Last season, the 23-year-old turned in three of his finest displays at Anfield, Old Trafford, and the Etihad. It makes no difference where he is or who he is opposing. He just performs.

France’s round of sixteen match with Belgium was somewhat boring; the latter was hoping for

Lukaku had started to drift over to Upamecano midway through the second half in a bid to get into the game having got no change out of Saliba. But with six minutes left, the pair discovered they were tussling once more on the brink of the French box. Saliba, once again, was touch-tight, matching Lukaku physically, resisted a rolling, and pinched the ball away from behind. Deschamps’ side sprung forward, and a deflected Randal Kolo Muani strike sent the French through.

Saliba’s subjugation of Lukaku was mightily impressive, but performances like the one the 23-year-old produced in Dusseldorf are hardly novel.

The Arsenal man produced a masterclass in duel-winning, and touch-tight defending, yet his display wasn’t spotless. There might have been things Deschamps “did not like so much”. Narratives surrounding his performance would’ve been different hadn’t he been bailed out by a superb Theo Hernandez recovery challenge after Lois Openda pick-pocketed Saliba in possession midway through the second half.

But still, that mishap will hardly live long in the memory. Instead, Saliba’s Euro 2024 campaign seems to be the mere beginning of a prosperous international career. He may already be the world’s best.to beat the French at their own game. A moment was always going to decide it as the dynamic of the contest became clear in the early stages, and Saliba had a hand in delivering France’s crucial blow.