Iraq national team's Australian coach Graham Arnold made a humorous statement about how to reduce the threat of French star Kylian Mbappé during a press conference ahead of their World Cup Group 9 match against France.
Speaking at the press conference in Philadelphia, Arnold said, 'I asked if we could play three goalkeepers, but they told me it wasn't possible.' These words were interpreted as a reference to the attacking power of France led by Mbappé.
France's Mbappé scored twice against Senegal
France national team captain Kylian Mbappé scored two goals in the tournament's opening match against Senegal, leading his team to a 3-1 victory. The star player, who faced some difficulties in the first half, dominated the game in the second half.
Arnold: We face a big test
Beyond the joke, coach Arnold emphasized that the match against France is a major test for the Iraqi players. Arnold said, 'Our players may have never faced opponents at this level. But we will take the field focused on our own game.'
The Australian coach stated, 'We cannot control France's performance, but we can control our own performance. I want my players to be ready to show what they can do in front of the world.'
Arnold's past experience with France
Graham Arnold also has previous World Cup experience against France. Arnold faced France in a group match as Australia's coach during the 2022 World Cup, and the match ended in a 4-1 victory for the French.
The Iraq coach also praised his French counterpart Didier Deschamps. Arnold said, 'He is a great man and has done an incredible job. It's clear his players love him very much, and that will certainly motivate them to achieve success in this World Cup.'
Group standings
The Iraq national team finished the first matchday at the bottom of the group after losing 4-1 to Norway. France, having defeated Senegal 3-1, closed the matchday in second place with 3 points and is level on points with Norway.
