William Saliba says he believes he is already among the best defenders in the world, but the Arsenal center back is still measuring himself against the trophies that usually settle that argument. The 25-year-old said he is “still missing the big titles” even as he talked up the progress that carried him from a long wait after joining Arsenal in 2019 to the club’s first team in 2022.
That is why his remarks land now. Saliba said he was crowned an English Champion on 19 May and noted that the Premier League title had already been secured, leaving the Champions League final against PSG still to come when he spoke. He has two Community Shields with Arsenal, from 2020 and 2023, but his own bar is higher than that. “I believe I am one of the best defenders in the world,” he said, while adding that the bigger prizes are still the missing piece.
Saliba’s rise has not been direct. After signing in 2019, he spent time on loan spells in Ligue 1 to gain experience and toughen himself up for the Premier League before becoming a regular under Mikel Arteta. That path matters because it explains why his self-belief now sounds grounded rather than inflated. He said he always knew he had the ability to be a top-class player and fought his way back to Arsenal to prove his place belonged there.
There is still a line between being highly rated and being fully made, and Saliba drew it himself. He said he prefers to speak only when there is something to say, that those who should speak have won titles and achieved great goals, and that players without those milestones should work hard first. He also said he is careful not to get complacent because football moves too fast and someone can replace you straight away. That is the blunt reality behind the confidence: Saliba may already see himself as one of the best, but he knows the game will keep asking for trophies before it grants him the final word.
For Saliba, the next step is simple to define and hard to take. He has the status, the minutes and the recognition. What he still needs is the kind of title haul that turns a strong claim into the kind of certainty no one argues with.
