Iraq's World Cup qualification credited to social media ban

Iraq has dramatically secured a return to the World Cup finals after a 40-year absence, with head coach Graham Arnold declaring his team will "give everything" and "surprise the world" at this year's tournament. The Lions of Mesopotamia clinched their spot by defeating Bolivia 2-1 in an inter-confederation playoff in Mexico on Wednesday.

The decisive victory at Monterrey Stadium saw Ali Al Hamadi open the scoring for Iraq in the 10th minute, though Bolivia drew level before the break through Moises Paniagua. It was Aymen Hussein who ultimately steered home the second-half winner, making Iraq the 48th and final team to qualify for the global showpiece, which will be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

Australian coach Arnold, who previously guided his home nation to the round of 16 at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, now becomes only the second Australian manager to lead two different teams to the sport's premier event. He reflected on past experiences, stating: "Before we think about facing France, I should say that I faced them before with Australia at the 2022 World Cup. We lost 4-1, but we used that experience as motivation to beat Tunisia and Denmark and reach the round of 16."

Arnold also acknowledged the profound challenges his squad faced amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East. "Everything that is going on in the Middle East made it a little bit harder," he explained, adding, "I banned social media since the day we got here. I did not want them to think of what is going on in the Middle East because they had to focus on the job we had here."

Emphasising the significance of their qualification, Arnold asserted that Iraq has "nothing to lose." He stressed the importance of a "winning mentality" to "achieve something special," viewing the opportunity to share the pitch with stars like Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland as a "great honour." He concluded: "We respect their abilities, but we will step onto the field to try to surprise the world and showcase Iraqi football on the global stage."

Iraq will compete in World Cup Group I, where they are drawn alongside France, Norway, and Senegal.