William Saliba

William Saliba
Saliba playing for Arsenal in 2025
Personal information
Full name William Alain André Gabriel Saliba
Date of birth (2001-03-24) 24 March 2001
Place of birth Bondy, France
Height 1.92 m (6 ft 4 in)
Position Centre-back
Team information
Current team
Arsenal
Number 2
Youth career
2008–2014 AS Bondy
2014–2016 Montfermeil
2016–2018 Saint-Étienne
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2018 Saint-Étienne B 3 (0)
2018–2019 Saint-Étienne 16 (0)
2019– Arsenal 125 (7)
2019–2020Saint-Étienne (loan) 12 (0)
2021Nice (loan) 20 (1)
2021–2022Marseille (loan) 36 (0)
International career
2017 France U16 7 (1)
2017–2018 France U17 6 (2)
2018 France U18 5 (1)
2018 France U19 3 (0)
2019 France U20 1 (0)
2021 France U21 5 (0)
2022– France 31 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  France
FIFA World Cup
Runner-up 2022
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 20:52, 14 March 2026 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 23:42, 13 November 2025 (UTC)

William Alain André Gabriel Saliba (French: [wiljam saliba]; born 24 March 2001) is a French professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for Premier League club Arsenal and the France national team. Regarded as one of the best centre-backs in the world, he is known for his strength, pace, tackling, and composure.

Saliba began his professional career at Saint-Étienne after graduating from the club's youth academy. He represented the side during their 2018–19 campaign, who secured UEFA Europa League qualification.

Saliba joined Arsenal in July 2019 for a reported fee of £27 million. After being shipped off in three consecutive loan spells, he returned to Arsenal in 2022, and made his debut on 5 August. Saliba scored his first goal for the club shortly after, helping the Gunners to a second-place finish. The following season, he played an instrumental role in Arsenal's back line, with the club only conceding 29 goals as Saliba played every minute of their Premier League campaign.

After being capped 27 times at the youth level for France, Saliba made his senior debut for country on 3 June 2022.