“Can We Play 3 Goalkeepers?” — Iraq Coach’s Joke as Mbappé’s Fran

Stopping Kylian Mbappé and his France national football team proved to be an almost impossible task, as Iraq coach Graham Arnold admitted with a touch of humour before their Group I clash.

Ahead of the match, Arnold was asked how his side planned to contain the French superstar. Smiling, he replied: “I asked if we could play three goalkeepers, but they didn’t allow it.”

On the pitch, that joke reflected reality as France dominated proceedings in a comfortable 3-0 victory. Iraq’s goalkeeper endured a difficult night, with France looking capable of scoring six or seven goals on another day. Despite the heavy pressure, Arnold expressed relief that his side managed to limit the damage after a 4-1 defeat to Norway in their opening match.

“We played against one of the best teams in the world and a player like Mbappé in his 100th international match,” Arnold said after the game. “I am proud of how my players gave everything.”

The French star’s impact was once again decisive. Mbappé scored twice, continuing his remarkable form in the tournament. Earlier, he had already surpassed legends such as Pelé in major tournament scoring charts and broken France’s all-time scoring record previously held by Olivier Giroud.

The match also marked a major milestone for the 27-year-old, as he reached 100 international appearances for France. In the same game, he equalled Germany legend Miroslav Klose’s World Cup goal tally of 16 and now sits just behind Lionel Messi in the all-time standings.

Despite the defeat, Arnold revisited his viral pre-match comment with another smile: “In the end, not even three goalkeepers were needed—just one, and we still managed to keep it at 3-0.”

Mbappé’s brilliance, however, once again stole the spotlight, underlining why he remains one of the most feared forwards in world football.

MMR