After suffering an injury during the 2026 World Cup, Arsenal star William Saliba decided to visit his ancestral home
Arsenal defender William Saliba has taken time away from his injury rehabilitation to reconnect with his African roots, travelling to Cameroon to spend time with family and meet one of the continent’s greatest football legends.
The France international is recovering from the injury that cut short his 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign and has used the summer break to visit his mother’s homeland.
Saliba reconnects with his Cameroonian heritage
Saliba returned to Douala during his time away from Arsenal, where he reunited with members of his extended maternal family.
The centre-back paid a heartfelt visit to his grandmother and also met several local personalities, including Ayi Ventilateur and Ali Hob, during his stay.
In a gesture that delighted supporters, the Arsenal defender distributed Gunners shirts while spending time with the local community.
Although born in Bondy, France, Saliba has never hidden his strong connection to Cameroon through his mother and has regularly embraced his African heritage throughout his career.
World Cup injury opens door for summer visit
The trip comes as Saliba continues his rehabilitation after suffering the injury that ruled him out during France’s 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign.
Les Bleus went on to finish fourth after reaching the semi-finals before losing to eventual champions Spain and then falling to England in a dramatic third-place playoff.
While in Cameroon, Saliba also enjoyed the opportunity to meet legendary striker Samuel Eto’o, one of Africa’s most decorated footballers and a towering figure in Cameroonian football.
The visit has offered the Arsenal defender a chance to recover both physically and mentally ahead of a potentially long layoff during the 2026/27 Premier League season while strengthening his connection to the country of his maternal roots.