William Saliba Opens Up on Arsenal’s Premier League Title Win After 22-Year Wait and Three Runner-Up Finishes

William Saliba has described Arsenal’s Premier League title triumph as a moment of profound relief, revealing the mounting pressure that had built inside the dressing room following three consecutive runner-up finishes stretching back to the 2022–23 season.

The 25-year-old centre-back made his comments ahead of France’s 2026 FIFA World Cup opening fixture against Senegal, using the platform to reflect on what it took for the Gunners to finally end a league title absence dating back 22 years.

“It was a relief for everyone,” Saliba said, reflecting on his four seasons at the club. “When you finish second three years in a row, you tell yourself that you absolutely have to win, it can’t go on like that.”

The French international pointed to squad depth as a critical factor in crossing the line this time around, something he believes had been missing in previous title challenges. “This season, we finally had almost every position covered with depth, and that’s essential in a league as demanding as the Premier League, where you know you’re going to have two or three injured players every month at a minimum,” he added.

Arsenal’s title run was shaped significantly by a prolonged battle with Manchester City, managed by Pep Guardiola. Saliba made clear that the contest went to the wire and demanded everything from Mikel Arteta’s squad. “Manchester City never gave up. It was like an arm wrestle,” the defender said. “We believed in it from the beginning, and we weren’t going to let go. That title belonged to us.”

Arsenal’s previous Premier League title came in the 2003–04 season under Arsène Wenger, famously achieved without a single league defeat — a record that remains unmatched in the Premier League era. The intervening two decades had included numerous near misses, with the club’s most recent string of setbacks under Arteta representing the closest they had come before this campaign.

The title win also marks a significant milestone in Arteta’s managerial tenure at Arsenal, which began in December 2019. Since returning the club to the Champions League in 2021–22 and building a squad capable of consistently challenging for the title, this championship represents the culmination of a multi-year rebuild.

For Saliba personally, the achievement caps a remarkable rise. Signed by Arsenal in 2019, he spent several seasons on loan in France — including spells at Saint-Étienne, Nice, and Marseille — before establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most composed and technically assured defenders following his permanent integration into the first team in 2022.

With the Premier League title secured, Saliba now turns his attention to international duty. France face Senegal in their Group A opener at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a fixture that carries considerable weight given Senegal’s status as Africa Cup of Nations champions and their strong record in recent international tournaments.