LATEST NEWS: William Saliba of Arsenal believes there is one factor preventing him from being recognized as the “best defender in the world.”
William Saliba believes he is among the world’s top defenders but acknowledges he is missing one key achievement to cement himself as the undisputed “best defender in the world.”
The Arsenal center-back has become one of the Premier League’s standout players over the past two years, playing a pivotal role in the club’s 2022-23 title challenge after spending several seasons on loan away from the Gunners. Saliba’s impact was even more pronounced last season, as he became the first outfield player in Arsenal’s history to complete every minute of a Premier League campaign.
At 23, Saliba forms a formidable center-back pairing with Brazilian Gabriel, contributing to Arsenal’s strong defense, which helped them finish just two points behind champions Manchester City last season. Their defensive partnership also led Arsenal to boast the best defensive record in England.
Given his exceptional form, Saliba has solidified his place in France’s national team, earning 23 international caps and playing a key role for Les Bleus during Euro 2024.
While Saliba is confident he’s “on his way” to becoming the world’s best defender, he believes the next step is to win major trophies, something he has yet to achieve with either Arsenal or the French national team.
“I’ve been on the right track for both seasons, especially last season,” Saliba told Fox Sports Mexico. “I might be on the path to becoming the best defender in the world. I think I’m one of the best right now, but to claim that title, I need to win some trophies. That’s what I’m missing at the moment. If you win titles, you’re considered great, and if you don’t, you can’t say you’re the best. That’s how I see it. I’m one of the best in the world.”
This season, Arsenal has already kept three clean sheets in the Premier League, with their only conceded goal coming against Brighton, where they were reduced to ten men just before the international break. The Gunners currently sit second in the league, trailing Manchester City by two points ahead of their upcoming trip to the Etihad Stadium.
Previewing the crucial match against Manchester City, Saliba commented: “Of course, we want to compete with Manchester City as we have in the last two seasons, but we know we need to do more. As I’ve said, it’s not just about competing against City, but also against the other teams. Beating City means nothing if we don’t win against the others. So, of course, we want to win this weekend, and we’ll give everything to do so, but Sunday isn’t the end.”
Manchester City remains the only team in England’s top four leagues yet to drop points this season, as they aim for a record-extending fifth consecutive Premier League title.