William Saliba has 'already forgotten' about Arsenal's Champions League final loss as defender getting 'teased' by France team-mates

The wounds of Budapest are still fresh for many Arsenal supporters, but Saliba is already looking toward the future. The Gunners fell to a 4-3 defeat on penalties against PSG, a result that ended their dreams of a first European crown. The 25-year-old is confident that Mikel Arteta's side will use the experience as motivation for the 2026-27 campaign. "I've already forgotten, I hope we'll come back stronger next year," Saliba told reporters.

While Saliba is trying to forget the result, his France team-mates are making sure it stays in the conversation. The Bleus squad features five PSG players who were on the winning side that night, and the Arsenal man revealed that the atmosphere at the dinner table has been lively, even if the jokes are all in good spirits.

Saliba is clearly taking the banter in his stride as he aims to secure silverware at the international level instead. "With the five Parisians, we sometimes talk about it, we tease each other a bit at the table, it's all in good fun," the former Marseille man admitted.

The teasing from the European champions hasn't dampened his spirits, as France maintains a strong bond while preparing for their second group match of the tournament. The central defender insisted that the quick turnaround between club and international duties helped him process the disappointment of losing the Champions League final on penalties. Saliba explained that there was no time to dwell on what might have been.

"It was a little easier, given that we had to quickly focus on the World Cup which was coming right after," he stated. "Even though the first three or four days were difficult."

With the club season now a thing of the past, the immediate priority for Saliba is helping Didier Deschamps' side navigate Group I. France are heavy favourites for their upcoming match on June 22, and Saliba’s mental fortitude will be a key asset for the squad as they look to build momentum in the tournament. They currently sit second behind Norway with three points. If France wins their match against Iraq and Norway achieves the same result, Les Bleus will be guaranteed to advance to the knockout stages.