PADERBORN, Germany — It did not take lengthy for defender William Saliba to select his favorite picture from Friday’s quarterfinal between France and Portugal.
In fact, he beloved Theo Hernández’s successful penalty within the shootout, the celebrations that adopted with the France gamers, and the communion with their delirious followers contained in the stadium in Hamburg. However the one second, the one snapshot he selected, was when he fended off Cristiano Ronaldo’s problem after getting the ball off him within the first half. It is true Ronaldo, 39, just isn’t the participant he was, however he is nonetheless one of many sport’s best and in Saliba’s first encounter in opposition to him, the Arsenal centre-back confirmed his class.
Saliba is having an exquisite Euro 2024. He’s arguably the perfect defender left within the competitors — France face Spain within the first semifinal on Tuesday, with England and Netherlands doing battle 24 hours later — and, having been the perfect within the Premier League final season, would possibly simply be the perfect defender on the planet proper now.
A month in the past, Saliba walked into Clairefontaine (the France nationwide group’s HQ within the south of Paris) instead. In Didier Deschamps’ thoughts on the time, Dayot Upamecano and Ibrahima Konaté had been his two starters at centre-back, identical to they had been on the 2022 World Cup. When it got here to Saliba, the top coach nonetheless had some reservations … very like those he’d expressed in March, when he mentioned he did not take into account him prepared to start out for France.
Deschamps felt the 23-year-old could possibly be extra centered and present extra ruthlessness in one-vs.-one conditions. Saliba did not take it personally; the 2 had an extended dialogue throughout the pre-Euro camp and, on the finish of it, the Paris-born defender felt he might change his coach’s thoughts. And he has achieved simply that.
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Essentially the most spectacular factor with Saliba is his quiet ambition and motivation to show individuals incorrect. He did it at Arsenal with Mikel Arteta, who was under no circumstances satisfied initially in regards to the defender’s position in his group and was despatched out on mortgage. He did it with Jorge Sampaoli at Marseille. And he is achieved it this summer season with Deschamps.
It is vital to deliver some perspective to simply how good Saliba has been for France: he had by no means began a single sport at a serious event till he confronted Austria three weeks in the past. But he has proven a lot confidence, calmness and energy — and in opposition to the likes of Marko Arnautovic (Austria), Memphis Depay (Netherlands), Robert Lewandowski (Poland), Romelu Lukaku (Belgium) and, after all, Ronaldo as effectively. None of those world-class forwards have managed to dribble previous him as soon as or to trigger him issues.
Saliba’s partnership with Upamecano, and with Mike Maignan in aim behind them, has been wonderful to observe and so they’ve constructed a powerful understanding. As quickly as the sport in opposition to Belgium completed, the 2 defenders hugged, then ran in the direction of their goalkeeper for a gaggle embrace. In that round-of-16 sport, Saliba got here up in opposition to Lukaku within the first actual blockbuster “striker vs. defender” duel of the event and the Frenchman received it simply as Les Bleus superior 1-0.
Having made the journey from squad participant to starter, it is truthful to say Saliba is now France’s most vital participant — greater than Kylian Mbappé or Antoine Griezmann, the 2 stars of this squad.
Proper now, the talk in France is concentrated on whether or not the latter pair ought to even hold their place within the beginning XI for Tuesday’s semifinal in opposition to Spain in Munich. That Mbappé is clearly out of shape and having to put on a protecting face masks (after struggling a damaged nostril earlier within the event) is an enormous drawback. However he’s the captain and the perfect participant on the planet, even when he hasn’t confirmed it right here in Germany but, so it is seemingly he performs.
Griezmann is a special story. At 33 — and regardless of Deschamps’ belief, love and willingness to try to match him into the group by altering the tactical system round him — it seems to be like his legs and creativity merely aren’t there this summer season. He has scored simply two targets in his final 33 caps, and would not have the identical X-Issue as he did earlier than.
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Going through Spain shall be a particular sport for Atlético Madrid’s Griezmann, contemplating his relationship with a rustic the place he has lived and performed longer than he did in France. His defensive work behind the ball and within the press continues to be very a lot appreciated by Deschamps, however is that sufficient for him to maintain his place within the XI? Ousmane Dembélé was excellent when he got here on to exchange him in opposition to Portugal simply after the hour mark.
When Dembélé walked into the dressing room together with his “Participant of the Match” trophy after the sport, the chants of “MVP, MVP, MVP” grew louder because the track “MD” by Tiakola and Niska (two rappers from Paris) blared from the audio system. It will likely be exhausting to place him on the bench once more after that efficiency.
The assumption inside this group is rock-solid and their confidence of successful Euro 2024 now could be sturdy. However the video games and sense of enjoyable inside the camp has been key in conserving the stress off forward of the semifinal in opposition to tournament-favourites Spain. For a very long time, Saliba was unbeaten at Uno, however Dembélé has since taken his crown! (By the way in which, N’Golo Kanté continues to be very a lot suspected of dishonest, like Upamecano.) On the PlayStation, Mbappé has been invincible on NBA 2K — though Griezmann has given him some good video games.
Spain are acquainted foes and several other of France’s gamers (Hernandez, Jules Koundé, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga and Dembélé, to call a couple of) know their opponents effectively from taking part in in LaLiga for Actual Madrid and Barcelona.
In 1984 and in 2000, Les Bleus beat Spain en path to successful their two European Championships. If these developments at all times are available in threes, 2024 might yield the identical consequence.
