What did Ousmane Dembélé ask from the star of Iraq?

After the whistle blew at the end of the France-Iraq match, which the Roosters won with a clean 3-0 in the second round of the group stage at the 2026 World Cup, a humanitarian scene emerged between two stars from different generations. Ousmane Dembélé, one of the standout players of the match, asked for Zidan Iqbal's jersey, to which the latter responded with a gesture confirming his high morals.

Dembélé left his mark in Philadelphia with the final goal after a precise pass from Michael Olise, securing the former champion a ticket to the knockout stage.

Regarding the course of the match, Zidan Iqbal said: "The long wait between halves was an unusual situation for us, and it was the same for the French. We are gaining experience day by day in the World Cup atmosphere. Honestly, the conditions were tough and we did not maintain our performance rhythm after the break."

He added: "I am satisfied with my individual performance on the field, and I aspire to further develop my level. The goal is always to serve the national team, as the name of Iraq is more important than any personal brilliance. I try to make the most of every moment I play and give my best with confidence."

He continued: "I prefer to appear at a modest level and have the team come out victorious, because the win is for everyone when Iraq triumphs. We will take the positives from the France match and apply them against Senegal, and learn from the mistakes. My teammates put in a great effort and we are confident in our capabilities."

About the moment he shared with the French winger, Zidan explained: "I spoke with Ousmane after the match, he is a great player with high morals. He asked for my jersey and I agreed immediately, even though my father wanted to keep it as a souvenir, but I couldn't refuse a request from a star of his caliber."

He concluded his talk with an ambitious message: "We have the chances in the Senegal match, and I hope we achieve victory and secure a spot in the round of 32. We must show strong character and high performance, and we know well the strength of Senegal and what it presented in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco."