France will be hoping that star defender William Saliba holds up when they face Iraq in their second World Cup group game tomorrow. Les Bleus are looking to make it two wins from two in Group I after their 3-1 win over Senegal last time out.
Mbappe Brace Secures Opening Win
Key man Kylian Mbappe struck a brace as Didier Deschamps’ side made the perfect start, despite being pushed to the limits by the Senegalese. Now, Arsenal centre-back Saliba has admitted that he has been playing through pain in order to make this summer’s tournament, where France are hoping to win back the trophy they lost to Argentina four years ago.
Saliba Admits Playing Through Pain
“I’ve had some minor niggles for several months. I’ve been gritting my teeth because there was the Champions League and the Premier League. But the coaching staff are handling it very well,” Saliba said. “The World Cup comes round only once every four years, so you’ve got to grit your teeth. I’m not at 100 per cent, but there are plenty of players who aren’t at 100 per cent either - you can’t make excuses.”
That will leave Deschamps - and Mikel Arteta - sweating, after the defender’s long campaign that saw him win the Premier League title and reach the Champions League final with his club. He started in their opener alongside Dayot Upamecano, and that should be the case again here.
Predicted Lineup and Tactics
At full-back, Jules Kounde and Theo Hernandez are the go-to. In midfield, Deschamps’ favourite duo of Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot should remain unmoved, while ahead of them, it is just a question of who lines up where. Last time out, it was Desire Doue on the left, with Ousmane Dembele tucked into the No10 position. On the right was Michael Olise, flanking two-goal hero Mbappe.
Predicted France XI (4-2-3-1): Maignan; Kounde, Saliba, Upamecano, Hernandez; Rabiot, Tchouameni; Olise, Dembele, Doue; Mbappe.
Match Details
Date and time: 10pm BST on Monday, June 22, 2026. Venue: Philadelphia Stadium, Pennsylvania. How to watch: BBC.
