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France continues its 2026 World Cup campaign on Monday when it faces Iraq in Philadelphia.
Les Bleus will be brimming with confidence heading into the match—and eyeing a confirmed spot in the knockout rounds—after a commanding 3–1 victory over Senegal in their tournament opener.
Kylian Mbappé netted a brace and Michael Olise orchestrated play from a central position in one of the competition's most memorable second halves, as France broke the deadlock after a scoreless first 45 minutes to dismantle one of Africa's top nations.
A point against Iraq on Monday will be enough to secure France's place in the last 32. That said, Didier Deschamps's squad is expected to go for much more than a draw against a side that was beaten 4–1 by Norway in their opening match.
Here's how France could line up for the Group I fixture.
France Predicted Lineup vs. Iraq (4-2-3-1)
Pick Your France Starting XI!
GK: Mike Maignan—France's undisputed first choice between the posts, Maignan is virtually certain to keep his place against Iraq barring injury or unforeseen circumstances. He will be aiming to record his first-ever World Cup clean sheet.
RB: Jules Koundé—Deschamps's preferred right back was his usual tireless self against Senegal and is set to retain his spot ahead of Malo Gusto.
CB: Dayot Upamecano—The Bayern Munich center back registered the most touches and defensive actions of any player during the win over Senegal.
CB: William Saliba—Saliba's admission that he is playing through pain and "gritting his teeth" raised concerns. He may well be rested for the Norway fixture, should France seal qualification against Iraq.
LB: Lucas Digne—Reports indicate Théo Hernandez could lose his starting spot to Aston Villa's Digne, as Deschamps tinkers with his defensive unit. France has gone six matches without keeping a clean sheet.
CM: Adrien Rabiot—His inclusion is frequently debated, but Rabiot delivered a solid performance against Senegal and justified his selection with an assist.
CM: Manu Koné—Another potential new face in the starting lineup against Iraq, 25-year-old Koné could make his World Cup debut if selected ahead of Aurélien Tchouaméni.
RW: Ousmane Dembélé—He operated in a central role against Senegal, but the Ballon d'Or holder could shift wide to allow the in-form Olise to once again take center stage.
AM: Michael Olise—The Bayern Munich attacker is in dazzling form, delivering a Man of the Match performance against Senegal that featured one of the most visually stunning assists seen in recent memory.
LW: Bradley Barcola—A reshuffle in attack could hand Barcola a starting berth, though France can also call upon Désire Doué, Maghnes Akliouche, Rayan Cherki and Marcus Thuram for the wide forward positions.
SI answers is our AI answer engine trained on human-created content.
ST: Kylian Mbappé—Heavily scrutinized following a turbulent club season, Mbappé reminded the world of his brilliance with a stunning brace against Senegal. With 14 World Cup goals to his name, the Real Madrid forward sits just two behind Lionel Messi and Miroslav Klose in the all-time tournament scoring rankings.
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Andy Headspeath is a Real Madrid correspondent for Sports Illustrated FC. Originally from the UK, he was drawn to Spain over a decade ago by the weather, culture and football, where he now lives with his wife, son and two unruly dogs. A player of remarkably modest ability with only one fully functioning knee, he brings more than ten years of experience across a broad range of editorial roles in sports media, spanning match reports to long-form features and interviews. He specializes in football history and culture, as well as—naturally—La Liga.