Graham Arnold: We are 180 minutes away from the dream and ready to face Korea
The head coach of the Iraqi national team, Australian Graham Arnold, confirmed that the Lions of Mesopotamia are fully prepared for the match against South Korea, which will take place tomorrow, Thursday, at the Basra International Stadium, as part of the ninth round of the decisive Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
During the official press conference held today, Arnold expressed his happiness with the general atmosphere in the camp and the great discipline shown by the players, saying: "All the players are ready, and I feel very comfortable after this camp. I have met everyone, got to know their abilities, and we played a training match for 75 minutes that was very beneficial for me. I am impressed by their mental and physical discipline."
The Australian coach added: "The most important thing now is to realize the magnitude of what we are facing; we are only 180 minutes away from the World Cup dream, and this is what I am working to instill in the mind of every player. We have three ways to qualify: either through direct qualification, or via the Asian playoff, or through the global playoff, and we will work to exploit every opportunity in the best way possible."
Arnold praised the atmosphere in Basra and the warm welcome, speaking with a clear smile: "I am very happy to be here, thank you for your presence, and I am happy to see the smiles on your faces. The atmosphere here is very encouraging, and we will be ready tomorrow."
He concluded by saying: "The Iraqi players have a fighting spirit, and I am optimistic because we have all the components to compete with the strongest teams. Qualifying for the World Cup is not an impossible dream, but a realistic goal if we play with a winning mentality and with the support of our fans."
The match between Iraq and South Korea is considered one of the most important stages in the qualifiers, as the Lions of Mesopotamia occupy third place in Group B with 12 points, hoping to achieve a valuable victory that brings them closer to direct qualification before facing Jordan in the capital, Amman.
During the official press conference held today, Arnold expressed his happiness with the general atmosphere in the camp and the great discipline shown by the players, saying: "All the players are ready, and I feel very comfortable after this camp. I have met everyone, got to know their abilities, and we played a training match for 75 minutes that was very beneficial for me. I am impressed by their mental and physical discipline."
The Australian coach added: "The most important thing now is to realize the magnitude of what we are facing; we are only 180 minutes away from the World Cup dream, and this is what I am working to instill in the mind of every player. We have three ways to qualify: either through direct qualification, or via the Asian playoff, or through the global playoff, and we will work to exploit every opportunity in the best way possible."
Arnold praised the atmosphere in Basra and the warm welcome, speaking with a clear smile: "I am very happy to be here, thank you for your presence, and I am happy to see the smiles on your faces. The atmosphere here is very encouraging, and we will be ready tomorrow."
He concluded by saying: "The Iraqi players have a fighting spirit, and I am optimistic because we have all the components to compete with the strongest teams. Qualifying for the World Cup is not an impossible dream, but a realistic goal if we play with a winning mentality and with the support of our fans."
The match between Iraq and South Korea is considered one of the most important stages in the qualifiers, as the Lions of Mesopotamia occupy third place in Group B with 12 points, hoping to achieve a valuable victory that brings them closer to direct qualification before facing Jordan in the capital, Amman.
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