Waltham, United States: France centre-half William Saliba said Saturday he has been “gritting his teeth” and playing through the pain at the World Cup after suffering from a back problem for the past few months.
The defender was a key figure in helping his club Arsenal secure their first Premier League title in 22 years last season, but told reporters that he is not operating at “100 percent” in North America as he bids to help France win a third World Cup.
“I’ve had some minor niggles for several months. I’ve been gritting my teeth because there was the Champions League and the Premier League. But the coaching staff are handling it very well.”
