Star Metro - Iraq's Arnold promises to have a go against France at World Cup

"I have always been a coach that goes out expecting to win a game, not trying not to lose," Australian Arnold told reporters Sunday in Philadelphia, where the Group I encounter will take place.

"When you have that mentality, yes you will have days where it might not work but you will get plenty of days where it does work.

"We will go out with the belief and expectation to win and that puts the players in a good mindset."

Ranked 57th in the world, Iraq are appearing at their first World Cup since 1986 after coming through an exhausting qualifying campaign that took in 21 matches, culminating in the intercontinental play-offs in Mexico in March.

Their campaign in the United States did not get off to a good start, though, as they went down 4-1 to Erling Haaland's Norway in Boston.

Now they must find a way of handling France's superstar attack, led by skipper Kylian Mbappe who scored twice as Les Bleus beat Senegal 3-1 in their first match.

"I asked if we could play three goalkeepers, but they said no," joked former Australia coach Arnold when asked how his team planned to handle the opposition threat in Philadelphia.

"They have some incredible players and it is an honour, but we are focused on ourselves, our own performance.

"We are making sure the players are completely ready to go out there and show the world what they are about."

Arnold admitted he had not yet decided if captain Jalal Hassan would retain his place in goal, but revealed that winger Ali Jasim was fit to start after coming off against Norway.

He said he was looking forward to measuring himself against France coach Didier Deschamps, who will step down at the end of the World Cup after 14 years in charge.

"He is a fantastic coach and he has had a huge amount of success with France," said Arnold, 62, who became coach of the Lions of Mesopotamia in May last year.

"You can see that all the players love him, the way they react to him all the time, and that will be the motivation for France to try and do something special for him at his last World Cup.

"Overall he has just done an incredible job and he is a great man."

X.Boucher--SMC