Euro 2024: France left key player behind at stadium after 1-1 draw with Poland

Team of France seen posing to the group picture during the UEFA EURO 2024 group D match between France and Poland at Football Stadium Dortmund on June 25, 2024 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Mateusz Slodkowski/Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)

France reportedly left one of their players behind at the Westfalenstadion in Dortmund following their 1-1 draw with Poland on Tuesday.

Kylian Mbappe's second half penalty was cancelled out by Robert Lewandowski's own spot kick towards the end of the game, meaning France failed to top their Euro 2024 group. 

It hasn't been exactly plain sailing for Les Bleus this tournament, either - that draw means they've been placed on the same side of the draw as Germany, Spain and Portugal for the knockout stages, while Kylian Mbappe is having to play with a mask after fracturing his nose against Austria.

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And, according to L'Equipe, France left William Saliba at the stadium after their final Group D match, with the Arsenal defender having to await clearance from the anti-doping test he did directly after the game.

While the France squad left Borussia Dortmund's home stadium at 9pm, the report suggests Saliba remained for another 90 minutes before eventually leaving at 10:30pm, accompanied by members of the team's staff. 

To compound Saliba's woe, Didier Deschamps has permitted his squad to spend some time with their families ahead of the knockout stages at their Bad Lippspringe camp, located just over 100km from Dortmund. Saliba, as a result, will get less time with his loved ones. 

William Saliba of France looks on during the Group D - UEFA EURO 2024 match between France and Poland at BVB Stadion Dortmund on June 25, 2024 in Dortmund, Germany. (Photo by Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

Saliba was left at the stadium (Image credit: Getty Images)

"The family break will really do some good," Deschamps said. "Spending time with them during this competition is important. And then we will move on to the round of 16. It will be good for morale." 

France will play the team that finishes in second place in Group E, which could be any side from Belgium, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine, who all play on Wednesday night.

France Euro 2024 squad Didier Deschamps, Head Coach of France, poses for a portrait during the France Portrait session ahead of the UEFA EURO 2024 Germany on June 13, 2024 in Bad Lippspringe near Paderborn, Germany. (Photo by Michael Regan - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Deschamps will let his squad spend time with their families  (Image credit: Getty Images)

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Ryan Dabbs
Staff writer

Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.