Deschamps Sticks with Winning Team Against Iraq

Didier Deschamps is set to keep faith with the side that brushed aside Senegal, with L’Équipe indicating that France’s head coach is not planning any major surgery to his starting XI for Monday night’s World Cup group clash against Iraq.

Deschamps backs his winning hand

France’s 3-1 win over Senegal looked comfortable on the scoreboard, but it was anything but serene in the opening 45 minutes. Les Bleus started flat, second to too many duels and short of tempo against Les Lions de la Teranga. The rhythm was off, the passing predictable, the intensity missing.

Then came the interval.

Deschamps is not a man known for gentle half-time chats when standards slip. His players emerged from the dressing room transformed, snapping into tackles, pushing higher up the pitch and attacking with far greater conviction. The response was emphatic: three goals after the break and a statement victory to open their World Cup campaign.

That second-half surge has effectively picked his team for Iraq.

The core of the side that finished the job against Senegal is expected to stay intact, with Deschamps valuing continuity and the confidence that comes with a winning start. No sweeping tactical overhaul, no shock omissions. Just a coach trusting the group that reacted exactly as he demanded when the game threatened to drift away from them.

Clean bill of health sharpens selection choices

The medical bulletin only strengthens his hand. France emerged from the Senegal encounter without any new fitness problems, a rare luxury in a tournament that often bites early.

Malo Gusto and William Saliba remain under treatment for their own individual issues, but their situations are being managed and nothing fresh has complicated Deschamps’ planning. Crucially, there were no significant knocks or strains from the opener, leaving almost the entire squad at his disposal.

For a manager who thrives on stability and hierarchy, it is close to an ideal scenario: a convincing win, a rousing second-half performance, and a near-full complement of players ready to go again.

Iraq will arrive knowing exactly what is likely to face them. The question now is not who Deschamps will pick, but whether anyone can disrupt a France side that has already shown how ruthless it can become once the switch is flicked.