Arnold: Iraq will play against France with victory in mind

Iraq head coach Graham Arnold has shared his expectations ahead of the 2026 World Cup match against France. The manager stated that his team has no intention of playing for a defensive result, aiming instead to secure a win.

I have always been a coach who goes into a game with the intention of winning, rather than trying not to lose. When you have that mentality, yes, there are days when it might not work, but there will be many days when it does. We will go out with the belief and expectation to win, and that gives the players the right mindset. Graham Arnold

Arnold also praised the work of French coach Didier Deschamps, acknowledging his influence on the team. According to the Iraqi manager, the unity within the French squad and their clear reaction to Deschamps will serve as extra motivation for France during his final World Cup campaign.

Deschamps is a fantastic coach and has achieved enormous success with France. You can see that all the players love him, how they react to him constantly, and this will be motivation for France to do something special for him in his final World Cup. Graham Arnold

The Iraq squad remains focused on its own performance as they prepare for the challenge. The match between Iraq and France is set to take place on June 23, kicking off at 00:00.