Graham Arnold Takes Responsibility for Iraq's World Cup Performance

Iraq's head coach, Graham Arnold, has taken responsibility for his team's 0-5 defeat against Senegal in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup. The team has been eliminated from the North American tournament after three losses, with a goal difference of 1:12.

"I made some changes that I probably wouldn't have made if we were only losing by two or three goals. These lads put in a lot of work to reach the World Cup, and I wanted to give everyone a few minutes on the pitch so they could say they represented Iraq at the World Cup. I take responsibility for that. If your local league isn't strong enough, when you play against this type of opponent, you're certainly going to be punished.

These players have only ever seen footballers of this caliber on television. They've never before stepped onto the field against such high-level opposition. It was all a surprise for them. My job, when I first arrived, was to qualify them for the World Cup, and that miracle happened. It was an enjoyable journey, a pleasant World Cup, even with these results. I hope the players will take away from this the experience of being at a World Cup for the first time in 40 years. Everyone needs to learn from their mistakes," the Australian told the media.