In their third match of the World Cup group stage, Iraq suffered a devastating 0-5 defeat to Senegal. Following the match, Iraq head coach Graham Arnold was interviewed and reflected on the team's World Cup campaign.

Three matches, three defeats. One goal scored, twelve goals conceded. Iraq's statistics at the 2026 World Cup were clearly disappointing, but head coach Graham Arnold emphasized that the experience could prove invaluable for this group of Asian players.

Regarding the heavy defeat in the final match against Senegal, Arnold acknowledged that Rebin Sulaka's red card in the 13th minute was a turning point that made the game impossible to salvage.

Arnold said: "Mentally, it is very difficult for players to continue after receiving a red card so early in the match. When we face a team like Senegal and make mistakes, we are punished immediately."

"In the second half, the players were already tired. I made some substitutions that I probably would not have made if we had not been down 0-3 at that point. These players worked very hard to participate in the World Cup. I wanted to give everyone playing time so they could say they represented Iraq at the World Cup."

"A national team's strength depends on the level of its domestic league. If the domestic league is not strong enough, it is easy to be punished when facing elite opponents. Most of these players only watch their opponents on television. Our primary objective when we took over was to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, and that 'miracle' has already been achieved. It is invaluable experience for the players to participate in the World Cup again after 40 years and learn from their mistakes."

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