Iraq recently sacked its former Spanish coach after a string of underwhelming results in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers and failing to secure direct qualification to the tournament.
In May, the Iraqi Football Federation hired a new coach. At the time, I didn’t pay much attention to him — just caught his name, “Arnold,” and recognized a familiar face.
Fast forward to this week, and things have gotten very interesting — perhaps the most exciting they’ve been since 1986, the first and only time Iraq qualified for the World Cup.
Iraq is currently in the 4th round of the WCQ, playing in the second group alongside Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. They won their opening match against Indonesia 1–0, while Saudi Arabia beat Indonesia 3–2. This means both teams are level on points, but KSA leads on goals scored.
Tomorrow, the two teams meet in what is arguably Iraq’s most important match in decades. The scenario is simple: Saudi Arabia advances with a win or a draw, but Iraq can only qualify if they win. Needless to say, no one in Iraq will be sleeping tonight as the entire country holds its breath.
Now back to the coach. To my surprise, I recently learned that Arnold is actually from Australia — Graham James Arnold. My initial reaction was shock. Not because he isn’t good, but because I didn’t expect Iraq to go for an Australian coach when, presumably, there were other high-profile options.
But after reading more about him, my view changed. With over 25 years of coaching experience and a proven track record, Arnold might just be the right man for this crucial moment. Given the high stakes of tomorrow’s do-or-die match — and the fact that it’s being played in Saudi Arabia — Iraq may have the kind of experienced, battle-tested coach it needs.
@Crocodile Bani , @Eddie Yousif what’s your take on him? I’m sure you know plenty about his style and history. Hopefully, by the time you read this, Iraq will have finally booked its ticket to the World Cup — after nearly 40 years of waiting.
By the way, even if Iraq doesn’t win tomorrow, they still have another shot at qualification (one of the perks of the new 48-team format). But the road will get tougher from there, as they’ll have to face other strong teams in a playoff tournament.
Either way, tomorrow’s match will be remembered — for better or for worse.
In May, the Iraqi Football Federation hired a new coach. At the time, I didn’t pay much attention to him — just caught his name, “Arnold,” and recognized a familiar face.
Fast forward to this week, and things have gotten very interesting — perhaps the most exciting they’ve been since 1986, the first and only time Iraq qualified for the World Cup.
Iraq is currently in the 4th round of the WCQ, playing in the second group alongside Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. They won their opening match against Indonesia 1–0, while Saudi Arabia beat Indonesia 3–2. This means both teams are level on points, but KSA leads on goals scored.
Tomorrow, the two teams meet in what is arguably Iraq’s most important match in decades. The scenario is simple: Saudi Arabia advances with a win or a draw, but Iraq can only qualify if they win. Needless to say, no one in Iraq will be sleeping tonight as the entire country holds its breath.
Now back to the coach. To my surprise, I recently learned that Arnold is actually from Australia — Graham James Arnold. My initial reaction was shock. Not because he isn’t good, but because I didn’t expect Iraq to go for an Australian coach when, presumably, there were other high-profile options.
But after reading more about him, my view changed. With over 25 years of coaching experience and a proven track record, Arnold might just be the right man for this crucial moment. Given the high stakes of tomorrow’s do-or-die match — and the fact that it’s being played in Saudi Arabia — Iraq may have the kind of experienced, battle-tested coach it needs.
@Crocodile Bani , @Eddie Yousif what’s your take on him? I’m sure you know plenty about his style and history. Hopefully, by the time you read this, Iraq will have finally booked its ticket to the World Cup — after nearly 40 years of waiting.
By the way, even if Iraq doesn’t win tomorrow, they still have another shot at qualification (one of the perks of the new 48-team format). But the road will get tougher from there, as they’ll have to face other strong teams in a playoff tournament.
Either way, tomorrow’s match will be remembered — for better or for worse.
