France centre-back William Saliba is forced off with a back injury during the first half of the FIFA World Cup semifinal against Spain. Multiple reports say the Arsenal defender, 25, appears to suffer the issue while the match is underway and is unable to continue play, leading to an early substitution. The injury is described as having been carried for some time, with one account linking it to discomfort he has managed since the later stages of the domestic season. Another report characterizes his exit as occurring early in the semifinal and notes that Saliba sends a “clear message” following the injury, without detailing further specifics of what he said. The reports agree on the timing and location of the incident: it happens in the first half of the semifinal at the point he is forced to leave the field. Both outlets also frame the situation as a back problem rather than another type of injury, and both connect it to the likelihood that it has affected him for longer than the single match itself. France ultimately lose the semifinal to Spain.