Iraq Coach Jokes About Stopping Mbappe: I'll Put 3 Goalkeepers

JAKARTA - Kylian Mbappe surpassed Pele in the World Cup goal-scorer list and is getting closer to the overall goal record for this tournament. Mbappe also broke the record for goals for the French National Team. All that was only in the first match of the 2026 World Cup.

Seeing that record, there is an assumption that stopping the 2022 World Cup Golden Boot winner seems almost impossible.

That's what Iraq will face on Tuesday, June 23, 2026, early morning WIB when they meet Les Bleus for the second Group I match.

Iraq coach Graham Arnold - tasked with stopping Mbappe and France - has an idea that might work.

"I asked if we could play three goalkeepers. However, they said no," said Arnold laughing when answering how to stop Mbappe.

Mbappe has another milestone to achieve against Iraq. After playing in his third World Cup and becoming a champion in 2018, the 27-year-old will play his 100th international match for France.

"It's always nice to play for the French national team. There's nothing bigger than the French national team. One hundred, it's historic. Especially when it's the World Cup," Mbappe said in a press conference.

He could surpass coach and former captain Didier Deschamps (103 appearances as a midfielder) if France goes far in this tournament. If not injured, Mbappe could surpass goalkeeper Hugo Lloris' record of 145 appearances for Les Bleus.

Mbappe, one of two players to score a hat-trick in the World Cup final, scored his 13th and 14th World Cup goals in a 3-1 win over Senegal in the tournament's opening match.

It was his 57th and 58th goals in international football, equalling and surpassing Olivier Giroud as France's all-time leading scorer.

Meanwhile, Mbappe's second goal against Senegal broke Pele's record for the most World Cup goals.

Mbappe's 14 World Cup goals came from two goals in this tournament (which still have the chance to increase), eight goals in the 2022 edition - when he won the Golden Boot as the top scorer - and four goals in 2018.

Mbappe is tied with Gerd Muller of Germany as the fourth-highest scorer in World Cup history. He is only one goal behind Ronaldo (Brazil) and two goals behind the record 16 goals held by Miroslav Klose (Germany) and Lionel Messi, who scored a hat-trick for Argentina at the 2026 World Cup.

With at least a decade to go and potentially at least two more World Cups, plus the remaining matches in this event, the debate is starting to rage about whether Mbappe can be remembered as the greatest World Cup player of all time?

Only, the Real Madrid star player was reluctant to take it personally.

"This is a debate for the public. This is a debate for journalists, a debate for football fans. I think it's good to debate about the players."

"See who is the best. For me, it's not a question in my head. It's just about how I can help my team tomorrow against Iraq and can I bring home the trophy in July 2026," said Mbappe.

Mbappe helped France win the World Cup title in 2018 and reach the final in 2022, when he was awarded the Silver Ball as the second best player.

Along with Desire Doue and current Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele, France enter this year's tournament as favourites alongside Spain.

Les Blues won in 1998 and 2018, then lost in the 2022 final to Argentina on penalties.

Seeing the series of records, it is clear that it is difficult to stop Mbappe and Les Blues. Speaking of the goalkeeper, Arnold said he had not decided on his goalkeeper for the match against France after team captain Jalal Hassan conceded four goals in Iraq's 1-4 defeat to Norway.

"We can't control France's performance, but we can control our own performance. We make sure that the players are really ready to get on the field and show the world their abilities," said Arnold.

Meanwhile, Iraq was praised for clearing away rubbish and cleaning up their dressing room after their defeat at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts.

Iraq also left a touching note on the locker room message board that read, "Thank you, Boston."

"They're the ones who made the mess. Then, they cleaned it up. As a form of respect to who we are and where we are. That's great leadership," said Arnold.