It’s nice having Liverpool players grace the very best national teams on the planet.
Although plenty will see the international breaks as being a massive inconvenience and would rather Liverpool players stay out of it, we hold the opposite view.
Right now, the Reds can name consistent representatives in the squads of both most recent World Cup finalists. Alexis Mac Allister is a regular for Argentina, while Ibrahima Konate has forced his way into France’s starting XI.
And with another break now upon us, we’re seeing exactly why Konate is one of Didier Deschamps’ first choice picks.
Ibrahima Konate faces William Saliba
It really is a big feather in the cap of Konate that he’s so highly regarded by France. Of course, we know just how good the 24-year-old is, he’s been pretty much faultless since signing for Liverpool in 2021.
But it’s also true that Les Bleus are absolutely stacked in central defence. They have an enormous depth of world-class talent.
If you ask Arsenal fans, they’ll tell you that William Saliba is the absolute best of this pool. However, Deschamps’ continuous selection of Konate – and a clip from France training this week – would suggest otherwise.
As seen on a clip posted by on The Anfield Talk on X, Saliba can be seen trying to get past Konate and score into a mini goal. However, having tried to deceive the Liverpool man with a stepover or two, Saliba just can’t get past.
Timing his tackle perfectly, Ibou steps in, takes the ball cleanly from the 22-year-old and finishes into a goal at the other end of the pitch.
That’s how you do it. Debate over, if there ever really was one!
Konate winning Saliba battle
If you listen to Arsenal fans, then you’d be under the impression that Saliba is in fact the greatest Premier League defender of our time. The way the Frenchman is hyped by followers of his club is something quite incredible.
There’s no question that he’s a top player. Ever since returning to the Gunners first-team in 2022 he has been a standout for them. But he’s often being shoehorned into debates about being better than Virgil van Dijk. That’s wrong.
On this evidence, and more importantly in the eyes of Deschamps, Saliba can’t even touch Konate, let alone Liverpool’s captain.
Of course, one little duel in training isn’t proof of that. There were probably instances where the Arsenal man won out, too. But with 13 caps to Saliba’s 12 and now a starter with Dayot Upamecano, Konate is winning this war.