Iraq coach Graham Arnold proposed a unique tactic to counter Kylian Mbappé ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026 match against France, but he was unable to get approval from FIFA. At the pre-match press conference, Manager Arnold jokingly said, ``I asked for the game to be played with three goalkeepers,'' but FIFA said ``no.'' Australian coach Arnold is prepared for a very tough battle for the Iraqi national team as French ace Mbappé is in top form. Mbappé scored twice in the opening game against Senegal, leading France to a 3-1 victory. This puts him on par with German legend Gerd Muller with 14 World Cup goals. Still above them are Ronaldo (15), Lionel Messi (16) and Miroslav Klose (16). Additionally, Mbappé will play his 100th game for France against Iraq. Prior to this match, he became France's all-time leading scorer, overtaking Olivier Giroud against Senegal. Speaking before the match, Mbappé did not dwell on the debate over his record, saying: "That's a debate between journalists and supporters. What's important to me is how I can help the team and whether we can bring home a trophy." Arnold knows Iraq need to take points from France to maintain their chances of qualifying for the knockout stages after losing 4-1 to Norway. "We can't control France's performance, but we can control our performance," the coach said.
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