At just 22 years old, William Saliba already possesses “The Aura.” That ineffable quality ascribed to only the most elite defenders — like Virgil Van Dijk and Sergio Ramos — whose perceived omnipresence is enough to shut down an entire side of a football pitch. Those players who never get dribbled by because the opposition is afraid to even dribble at them.
These transcendent defenders are endowed with a unique combination of physical attributes and technical ability that allows their mere presence to defend for them, cultivated by a palpable fear and respect for the greatness of their game — “The Aura.”
Saliba’s own specific blend of traits comprises the perfect modern center back profile. Physically, he has the look of the typical hardman: mountainous, powerful, and mean-spirited. But technically, he has the touch, passing range, rapid acceleration, and dibbling ability to quickly and dangerously progress play. The most unmistakable and surprising aspect of Saliba’s game, however, is his mentality.
William Saliba has the stoic composure of a seasoned Premier League veteran. His positional acuity and the timing of his tackles, his calmness on the ball and propensity to put out fires, are all traits that point to a certain maturity and assuredness in Saliba’s play. Out of possession, he moves with robotic precision, a footballing machine checking off a defensive task list: sweep, win possession, progress play, repeat. On the ball, Saliba is cold and calculating, welcoming pressure before launching an attack by either accelerating through the press or hitting informative, sweeping passes into space over it. Ice Man.
His very first league match for Arsenal was an imperiously cool display in which he won MOTM. Coming up against one of the (formerly) best wingers in the league in Wilfried Zaha, Saliba helped the Gunners to a clean sheet while also adding 62 touches and 5 clearances, winning possession 7 times, and completing 3 successful long-range passes. After waiting years to make his debut for the club, this complete performance was a sign of things to come. A glimpse of “The Aura.”
If his premier league debut was his breakout album, Saliba’s most impressive display — a clean sheet against 3-time consecutive title winners Manchester City — was the rare sophomoric effort that defies even the most ardent supporter’s expectations. A perfectly composed, sonically superb, metronomically precise performance in which he pocketed arguably the most difficult striker to stop in world football: Erling Haaland. On top of neutralizing the 6'4" Norwegian Terminator — Haaland was held to zero shots in the Premier League for the first time — Saliba completed 97% of his passes while committing zero fouls, winning 100% of his duels, and never getting dribbled past. The perfect culmination of Saliba’s grace and guile. “The Aura” on full display.
“The Aura” cannot be bestowed, nor is it really even tangible. But, certain players in certain times of football history have had it emanate through them. As the best center back in world football, leading one of the best teams in the world, William Saliba is in that moment, and will be for many seasons to come.