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Arsenal defender William Saliba has explained why he doesn’t consider himself the best defender in the world. The French centre-back has been a key player for the Gunners in recent years, with many fans and pundits recognizing him as one of the top talents in his position.
They are hardly wrong about the 23-year-old, who has spent two seasons ensuring a tight defense at the Emirates Stadium. In 2022/23, he played 27 premier league games, where he helped keep 12 clean sheets and concede 25 goals. However, it was his second season with the Gunners that showed his impressive qualities.
In 2023/24, Saliba played all 38 league games, and Arsenal conceded just 29 goals. He helped them keep 18 clean sheets, the best in the league that season.
However, despite these rather impressive performances, the defender believes he is missing something. When asked if he was the best defender in the world in an interview with Fox Sports, Saliba said (via Daily Cannon):
“I have been on the right track for the past two seasons, especially last season. I am perhaps on my way to becoming the best defender in the world. I think I am [just] one of the best at the moment, but to say that (I’m the best), I have to win some titles. I think that is what I am missing right now.
“If you win titles you are good and if you don’t, you can’t say you are the best. That’s what I believe.”
The Arsenal defender has already started this season in tip-top form. He has retained his presence as a force in defense for the Gunners, playing four games in the league and keeping three clean sheets. He also helped to keep a clean sheet in the UEFA Champions League opener against Atalanta.
Arsenal centre-back pair hailed by Rio Ferdinand
Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand has hailed the Arsenal centre-back pairing of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes. The former defender referred to the duo as the best defensive pairing in Europe.
Saliba has had his plaudits, but so has Gabriel, as the duo have been vital to the Gunners' impressive ability to keep clean sheets regularly. Ferdinand said of the duo on TNT Sports (via Daily Mail):
"Yeah, definitely. I think they are. They proved that the last couple of seasons now. They're resolute. They're hard. They can do it in different ways. You've got a great blend."
He also praised goalkeeper David Raya and right-back Ben White for playing their part in Arsenal's strong defense. This defense, though, will need to come up strong when they face Manchester City in the premier league on Sunday (Sept. 22).
