Graham Arnold, the coach of the Iraq national team, commented on the historic achievement of qualifying for the World Cup for the second time in the history of the 'Lions of Mesopotamia' after defeating Bolivia in the final of the global playoffs. Iraq will appear in the upcoming World Cup in the summer of 2026 in the United States within Group Nine alongside France, Norway, and Senegal, marking their return to the global stage for the first time since the 1986 Mexico edition.

Arnold said in media statements after the match: 'The Lions of Mesopotamia players delivered a great game against Bolivia, and they succeeded in achieving victory and qualifying for the finals. I must commend the players' spirit and their technical levels throughout the match.'

He added: 'They showed everything on the field, and we succeeded in overcoming a difficult opponent like Bolivia, who played well and caused us a lot of trouble. It was a very tough match, but I thank the players for their focus and execution of duties.'

The Australian coach continued: 'The way we defended, the players' levels, handling of crosses, and all match details were perfect and contributed to achieving this important victory. I am very happy with this achievement, and being part of the history of the Iraqi team is wonderful.'

Arnold sent a special message to the stands that accompanied the team to Monterrey and to the millions of followers inside and outside the country: 'I am very happy that we succeeded in bringing joy to more than 46 million Iraqis, especially in light of the current circumstances in the Middle East due to the war.'

He confirmed: 'This qualification represents a historic step for Iraqi football and reflects the great effort made by the players and the technical staff during the past period to achieve the dream of reaching the finals. We will continue to work in the upcoming period.'

Since taking over, Arnold has led Iraq in 13 matches: 8 wins, 2 draws, and 3 losses, according to 'Transfermarkt' data. Thus, he becomes the first Australian coach in history to lead two different teams to the World Cup, after leading Australia in the 2006 Germany World Cup, with expectations indicating that the Iraqi federation will announce the renewal of his contract soon.