William Saliba has been replaced by Crystal Palace's Maxence Lacroix in France's squad for their upcoming international friendlies with Brazil and Colombia.

Saliba played the duration of Arsenal's 2-0 defeat to Manchester City in the EFL Cup final on Sunday, but it has since been confirmed that he sustained a left ankle injury. 

The 24-year-old has made 38 appearances for the Gunners in all competitions in 2025-26, 37 of which have been starts, totalling 3,216 minutes played for Mikel Arteta's side. 

But France have called upon a dependable replacement in Lacroix, who has been called up to the senior side for the first time in the final window before this summer's World Cup. 

Only Virgil van Dijk (4,041), Malick Thiaw (4,011) and Dominik Szoboszlai (3,848) have played more minutes than Lacroix's 3,840 among outfield Premier League players in all competitions this season. 

Liverpool's Hugo Ekitike remains in the 27-man squad despite coming off with a dead leg just eight minutes into the Reds' 2-1 defeat to Brighton at the weekend. 

Didier Deschamps' side travel to the United States in the March international break to take on Brazil in Foxborough on March 26 before playing Colombia in Maryland three days later.

Première fois au château pour Maxence Lacroix ! pic.twitter.com/TRw3cZmf3x

— Equipe de France (@equipedefrance) March 23, 2026