Background and career
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. Considered one of the best defenders in the world, he is known for his strength, pace, tackling, and composure.
Saliba began his career in 2018 with Saint-Étienne, helping them qualify for the UEFA Europa League. Saliba joined Arsenal in 2019 in a transfer for a reported fee of £27 million. After consecutive loan spells with Saint-Étienne, Nice and Marseille between 2019 and 2022, Saliba has become a first-team regular at Arsenal.
Saliba made his senior debut for France in 2022, and played for the side at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, UEFA Euro 2024 and the 2026 World Cup.
William Alain André Gabriel Saliba was born on 24 March 2001 in Bondy, a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris in the department of Seine-Saint-Denis, to a Lebanese father and a Cameroonian mother. He began playing football at the age of six for local team AS Bondy, where he was coached by the father of Kylian Mbappé.
Saliba began playing for Saint-Étienne in 2016, and signed his first contract at age 17, in May 2018. Saliba then made his professional debut on 25 September 2018, featuring in a 3–2 Ligue 1 win over Toulouse. He made 13 starting appearances in his first season at Saint-Étienne.
How William Saliba makes money
Media reported a contract duration of five years and that the transfer fee amounted to £27 million.
