Arnold rues Iraq's mistakes after World Cup exit
Shafaq News- Toronto
Iraq head coach Graham Arnold said he was "deeply disappointed and frustrated" after the national team conceded 12 goals during its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign, arguing that nine of those goals resulted from individual and defensive mistakes rather than the superiority of Iraq's opponents.
Speaking after the match against Senegal, Arnold noted that the early red card had a "huge impact" on Iraq's performance, describing the dismissal as "stupid" and adding that playing with 10 men made the remainder of the match extremely difficult, allowing Senegal to capitalize on the numerical advantage and dominate the contest.
He also expressed pride in the Iraqi people and gratitude for the opportunity to coach Iraq at the World Cup.
