Soccer-Saliba to start for France against Senegal


Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group I - France v Senegal - New York/New Jersey Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. - June 16, 2026 France's William Saliba arrives at the stadium before the match REUTERS/Mike Segar

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J., ⁠June 16 (Reuters) - William Saliba, who ⁠has been struggling with back ‌pain, will start in France's central defence as Les Bleus kick off their World ​Cup campaign with a ⁠Group I clash ⁠against Senegal on Tuesday.

• France coach ⁠Didier Deschamps ‌opts for Desire Doue in attack, leaving ⁠Rayan Cherki and Bradley Barcola on the ​bench

• ‌Jules Kounde and Theo Hernandez ⁠start at ​full back

• Senegal's Lamine Camara to start in midfield with Habib ⁠Diarra left on the ​bench.

France: Mike Maignan; Jules Kounde, Dayot Upamecano, William Saliba, Theo Hernandez; Aurelien ⁠Tchouameni, Adrien Rabiot; Michael Olise, Kylian Mbappe (captain), Desire Doue, Ousmane Dembele.

Senegal: Edouard Mendy; Krepin Diatta, Kalidou Koulibaly (captain), ​Moussa Niakhate, El ⁠Hadji Malick Diouf; Idrissa Gana Gueye, ​Lamine Camara, Pape Gueye; ‌Ismaila Sarr, Sadio ​Mane, Nicolas Jackson.

(Reporting by Julien Pretot, editing by Ed Osmond)

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