Barcola starts, Doué and Hernandez on the bench: Deschamps reshuffles his XI against Iraq

After their victory against Senegal (3-1) in their opening group match, France take the pitch on Monday evening (23:00) to face Iraq, and Didier Deschamps is expected to reshape his starting XI with at least two, possibly three changes.

The first expected adjustment comes on the left wing: Désiré Doué, whose performance against the Lions of Terranga apparently did not fully convince the French staff, should give way to Bradley Barcola. The Paris Saint-Germain player delivered an impactful substitute appearance against Senegal, capped by a well-executed goal that made an impression.

The second likely change, still on the left flank but this time in defence: Théo Hernandez could be replaced by Lucas Digne. According to L’Équipe, a third change is also being considered in midfield, where Adrien Rabiot (AC Milan) is competing with Manu Koné.

These adjustments should not be read as a direct sanction for individual performances in the opening match. The clash against Iraq, considered the least difficult opponent in the group for France, gives Deschamps the opportunity to give playing time to players who might lack it later. The objective is to keep the entire squad engaged and sharp ahead of more demanding fixtures, starting with the match against Norway.