Iraq coach joked about fielding three goalkeepers to stop France

Iraq’s coach acknowledged in a press conference that he seriously considered fielding three goalkeepers to try to neutralize the French attack before Monday’s clash in Philadelphia. “I asked if we could play three goalkeepers, but I was told no,” he said with humor, summing up in one sentence the gap in status between the two teams.

The admission does not mask Iraqi ambition, however. “Facing France is a wonderful opportunity for Iraq,” the coach insisted, citing the performances of Cape Verde against Spain or Iran against Belgium as examples. “We cannot control France’s performance, but we can control ours. I want my players to be ready to show the world what they are capable of doing on the pitch.” Iraq is not without arguments: in preparation, the Mesopotamian team had secured a draw against Spain, and they put up serious resistance against Norway in the tournament opener.

Didier Deschamps, for his part, is taking nothing for granted. For several days, the French coach has been hammering the same message to his players: “Does Iraq mean anything to you? Don’t consider them in your head as a small team because they are not.” The Blues arrive in confidence after their victory against Senegal, concluded by an offensive display in the final half-hour — three goals scored after the break, driven by Michael Olise’s repositioning in the center at the expense of Ousmane Dembélé.

For this second match, Deschamps should make three changes to his starting eleven. Bradley Barcola, who scored just minutes after coming on against Senegal, is expected to start in place of Désiré Doué. In midfield, Manu Koné should replace Aurélien Tchouameni, who remained at training on Sunday. In defense, Lucas Digne could take the right flank, with Théo Hernandez having delivered a mixed performance in the first match. Olise, Dembélé and Kylian Mbappé are retained.