While William Saliba continues to develop into one of the best defenders in world football, it’s easy to forget that he’s just a massive Gooner at heart.
The Frenchman has been a supporter of the club ever since he was a kid, donning our colours as he shared the same pitches as his international teammate Kylian Mbappe as he began their journeys together in the suburbs of Paris.
And that’s why when he prepares to represent the club of his dreams on Champions League nights, his mind wanders back to when he was glued to the TV watching his idols in action on the biggest stage in the club game.
Speaking to UEFA TV, he said: “I was lucky to grow up in Bondy where many talents have come from. Thanks to Kylian Mbappe and others at AS Bondy, several scouts came to watch us at the age of 12. I was quite excited when I saw them - I would say: ‘This is my only chance to get out of here.’
“I told myself that I wanted to become a professional footballer, but honestly playing for Arsenal one day was beyond my wildest dreams but that's how fate works out sometimes. I remember that we went to buy a shirt and I got Thierry Henry's name on the back.
‘I grew up watching him play - I watched videos rather than full matches because I didn't have the Premier League channel, but sometimes I was lucky enough to watch them in the Champions League. That's when my liking for Thierry and the club began.”
Despite signing for us in the summer of 2019, William would have to wait three seasons to finally make his debut for the club on the opening day of the 2022/23 campaign, after being sent back to his homeland on loan with former club Saint Etienne, Nice and Marseille.
He was determined to make those stints a success, with the goal of playing for his boyhood club at some point in the future driving him forward. Now he’s featured 114 times in red and white, he looks back at that period beforehand as a huge one in his career.
“I couldn't leave the club without playing a game,” he added. “Even if you think you deserve to play, IF the head coach doesn't pick you that's just the way it is. I learnt from this and came back stronger.
“The year and a half I spent on loan helped me mature. When you're young you need to play, make mistakes and gain experience, and that's what I needed.”
A huge factor in Wilo’s success in north London is his partnership with Gabriel at the heart of our defence, and he feels his relationship off the field with the Brazilian three years his elder is key to their rock-solid partnership on it.
“He's like a brother to me we're very close,” he continued. “As I always say to him, it's as if he were French too, he has the same facial expressions as a French person because he was at Lille for a long time He's a great guy and an incredible defender.”
Having now established himself as a mainstay of our team, and regarded as one of the best defenders in world football, William has set himself some big targets going forward as he - and his teammates - aim to take the next step and get their hands on some silverware as soon as possible.
“It's been a long journey and I'm very proud of myself but I want to achieve more,” Wilo mused. “Everything is going well but the only thing missing is lifting major trophies, this is how people remember you even 20 years later.
“We're playing well and the team is great, but we just need to lift a few trophies at the end of the season."
Watch the full interview by pressing play on the video above
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