Highlights of Iraqi Players' Remarks After Loss to France in the World Cup

Feelings of disappointment dominated the remarks of the Iraqi national team players after falling to France with a three-goal deficit in the second round of the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico. Nonetheless, the players expressed understanding of the result given the clear technical disparity between the two sides.

The match was held at the Philadelphia Stadium and witnessed the brilliance of the French duo Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele, who scored for the Roosters, allowing the blue team to top Group Nine and secure a full mark.

Striker Ali Al-Hamadi stated: "We delivered an acceptable performance in the first half and showed good competitiveness, but playing against one of the world's strongest teams is a complex task. Any mistake against a team with such capabilities is costly. It is a very useful experience from which we will benefit, and I am proud of my teammates' effort in a very tough match."

He added: "Time is tight before the Senegal match, so we must quickly regroup. The chances of qualifying are not over yet, and we will give our utmost until the last minute. We will work on correcting mistakes to present a better face, and we hope our fans continue to support us as they always have."

For his part, Zidan Iqbal explained that the long break during halftime was an influential factor: "The prolonged break was difficult for us. We started the match excellently, but in the second half, we made some mistakes and paid for them immediately against a star-studded French team. We need to improve and continue working hard to deliver our best performances."

He continued: "After a long absence from the World Cup, our presence today is an opportunity to learn and gain experience. Now we must forget the France match and fully concentrate on the Senegal match. Our goal is to win, and we know the task will not be easy, but we will fight to satisfy our fans."

Yousef Amin said: "The break was expected but exhausting, and we are not used to such conditions. Today we played against the best team in the world, we made mistakes, and they punished us and took advantage of the opportunities, which is why we lost. Despite the result, we are satisfied with the effort exerted."

He concluded: "Mistakes cost us against Norway and today as well, and we must learn the lessons and not repeat them in the future. Our fans are proud of what we have presented so far. We now open the page for the final match against Senegal, and everything will be better. We must believe in our chances to be a strong contender."