As the 2026 World Cup approaches, teams worldwide are preparing for the event set to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. While some countries have secured their spots, European teams are still competing for qualification. Recently, a teammate of Kylian Mbappe from France delivered a strong message aimed at Lionel Messi’s Argentina and Lamine Yamal’s Spain.
France began their European qualifying campaign on a high note last month, achieving a 2–0 victory against Ukraine and a 2–1 win over Iceland at home. They are next set to play Azerbaijan in Paris on Friday, October 10, followed by another match against Iceland on Monday, October 13.
In anticipation of these matches, Arsenal defender William Saliba spoke to the media regarding the current success of Argentina and Spain, expressing confidence.
“The World Cup is in eight months. Spain and Argentina won the last two major tournaments (World Cup and UEFA Euro), that’s true. But they don’t scare us. I hope we qualify and get our revenge at the World Cup,” Saliba stated.
William Saliba during the UEFA EURO 2024 semi-final match against Spain. (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Saliba also discussed his experiences against Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez in the Premier League. “I haven’t lost against him with Arsenal. In some way, I’ve already avenged myself through Arsenal,” he chuckled. “But it’s true — when a team defeats you, you want to face them again.”
France aiming for direct qualification
Didier Deschamps’ squad seeks to continue their strong form from September and secure two more wins that could guarantee direct qualification for the World Cup this month.
According to UEFA’s qualifying format, the 12 group winners will automatically qualify for the tournament. With nine points already secured, another successful window could bring France to 12 points, possibly putting them out of reach for the other teams in Group D, which includes Iceland (3), Ukraine (1), and Azerbaijan (1).