Iraq's Arab Cup Challenge: Arnold Demands to See Every Card in Qatar
2 December 2025
Arnold Calls Arab Cup Benchmark: Show Everything You’ve Got
The Australian coach Graham Arnold, who leads the Iraq national team, says the Arab Cup in Qatar is a significant chance for players to show their best ahead of the March World Cup playoff for 2026.
Iraq begin their campaign against Bahrain on Wednesday in Group D of the tournament hosted by Qatar.
Arnold spoke at a press conference, noting the squad traveled to Qatar to deliver quality and to stand out, while thanking players for their playoff qualification but expecting more in the Arab Cup.
"This is your opportunity—show me what you’ve got," he said. "Our objective is to win every match, and Iraqi fans are our key support in all competitions. We count on their backing in the Bahrain game."
He added that the Arab Cup offers a prime stage for local players to demonstrate their abilities and that he accepts full responsibility for the team’s results.
"We have quality players and have created several chances in recent World Cup qualifiers; our goal is to improve from one game to the next."
Captain and goalkeeper Jalal Hassan stated the squad is ready for the Bahrain clash, describing the opponent as strong and wishing his team success in the tournament.
Arnold reiterated: "We must win and continue to improve; the onus is on us to deliver."
The Iraq coach also highlighted that performing well in the Arab Cup can help sustain momentum for the World Cup bid, and that domestic players deserve a chance to shine.
Hassan added: "Our main target is World Cup qualification and securing a playoff place; everyone is fully prepared for Bahrain and to win."
The piece closes with a note of aspiration to bring joy to the Iraqi people, with high spirits and determination to begin the tournament on a strong note.
Punchlines:
1) If football were a math test, Arnold would finally teach his players how to show their work.
2) And if the passes misbehave, we’ll blame the coffee—because caffeine never misses a through ball.
