Report: Deschamps May Shuffle France’s Lineup Against Iraq

France will face Iraq on Monday evening in the second round of the 2026 World Cup, looking to secure another important win and book its place in the next stage. Ahead of the match, French reports say coach Didier Deschamps is considering several changes to his starting XI.

Bradley Barcola, who came on as a substitute and scored in France’s opening game, is expected to start in place of Desire Doue. Lucas Digne could also replace Theo Hernandez at left back. Another change may be forced if Aurélien Tchouaméni does not recover in time, after missing training with the rest of the squad for the past two days.

If Tchouaméni fails his fitness test before kickoff, Manu Kone, the Roma midfielder, is likely to take his place in the lineup. Deschamps said ahead of the game, “People say this is an easy game, that the only question is how many goals we will score. I made it clear to the players that we are coming into a difficult match, and we must come to win and secure qualification for the next round. We are all focused.”

Captain Kylian Mbappe also stressed the need for victory, saying, “We need to win and qualify for the next stage. Of course I like and want to score goals, that is my job, but the team’s success matters more than anything.” He also defended Ousmane Dembele, who has been criticized for his weaker performances with France, saying Dembele was the best player on the pitch against Senegal and would be very important if France wants to win the tournament.