France's World Cup campaign took a significant blow in their semi-final against Spain on Tuesday night in Dallas, as Arsenal defender William Saliba was forced off the pitch inside the first 30 minutes with a back injury.

Things had already turned difficult for Les Bleus before Saliba's departure. Spain's Mikel Oyarzabal converted a penalty in the 22nd minute — awarded after Lucas Digne conceded the spot kick — to hand La Roja the lead midway through the first half.

Saliba's early exit

Shortly after the hydration break, Saliba dropped to the turf with no challenge around him and immediately gestured toward the France bench to indicate back pain. Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix came on as his replacement, ending the Arsenal centre-back's involvement in the tournament.

The 25-year-old had been one of France's standout performers throughout the competition. He was a key figure in France's remarkable run — alongside Spain, they were the only two nations not to concede a first goal at any point across their respective campaigns heading into Tuesday's semi-final.

Saliba's back problems were not new. Reports during the tournament suggested France had adjusted his training load between matches to manage the issue, yet he remained close to a permanent fixture in Didier Deschamps' starting eleven, completing 90 minutes in five of France's first six games.

Concerns for Arsenal ahead of new season

The injury will raise concerns beyond the World Cup. Saliba featured 50 times across all competitions last season as Arsenal ended a 22-year wait to claim the Premier League title and reached the UEFA Champions League final.

Arsenal are due to face Manchester City in the Community Shield on 16 August before opening their title defence against Coventry City on 21 August. Manager Mikel Arteta will be hoping the injury proves less serious than feared, with Saliba central to the club's plans for the season ahead.