Saliba fit and ready as France count down to Senegal opener

Two days out, Senegal opener

This is it. France kick off their World Cup against Senegal on Tuesday at MetLife Stadium, and the whole campaign rests on starting strong. The buildup hasn't been seamless, a 2–1 loss to Côte d'Ivoire in prep left questions, but the real business starts now. The referee is a familiar face with good memories attached for Les Bleus (1). Mbappé leads the line. Everything else is noise until kickoff.

Saliba fit, set to start

William Saliba returned to full training Saturday after a back issue and is expected to anchor the defense against Senegal (4) (5). His presence is a significant boost. The probable starting XI is taking shape with Saliba as the defensive cornerstone heading into Tuesday.

Deschamps sounds the burnout alarm

Didier Deschamps didn't hold back when asked about the calendar. "The warning signs have been sounding for a while," he said. "The schedule has always been overloaded for a top-level player, and now there are even more matches. The World Cup alone has 48 teams, plus extra competitions like the Club World Cup. The risk of professional burnout is undeniable" (3). With Mbappé among those carrying a massive workload, the concern lands at a tense moment, right before France's tournament even begins.

Zaïre-Emery: anywhere, even in goal

Warren Zaïre-Emery revealed Deschamps tested him at left-back in the final training session before Tuesday's opener. "The coach put me at left-back in the last session," he said, adding he'd play anywhere asked, even goalkeeper (6). It's a glimpse of the tactical flexibility Deschamps is weighing ahead of Senegal.