France Expected to Maintain Starting XI Against Iraq

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

He has little reason to rip anything up. France may have stumbled out of the blocks against Senegal, but they finished like a team that knows exactly who it is and what it wants from this tournament.

From stutter to statement

The opening 45 minutes against Les Lions de la Teranga were flat, short on tempo and ideas. France looked ponderous, second to too many balls, and a goal down. Then came the interval – and a very different France.

Deschamps’ half-time message clearly hit home. His players returned with sharper pressing, quicker passing and a far more aggressive stance between the lines. The change in attitude shifted the entire tone of the match. Once the equaliser arrived, the dam broke. France struck three times, turned a worrying start into a commanding 3-1 win and sent a reminder of their depth and ruthlessness on the biggest stage.

That second-half surge is now the reference point. It is also the main reason Deschamps is expected to keep his core intact for Iraq.

Stability over experiments

With no new fitness concerns emerging from the Senegal clash, the France coach holds a strong hand. The medical bulletin is as close to perfect as a World Cup group stage schedule allows.

Malo Gusto and William Saliba are both receiving treatment for individual fitness issues, but neither problem is considered serious at this stage. Their situations will be monitored, yet the broader picture is clear: Deschamps has almost his full squad available and no enforced reshuffles.

That freedom usually pushes him towards continuity. He has never been a coach who tinkers for the sake of it, especially when a team has just produced 45 minutes of the intensity he demands.

Minor adjustments, perhaps. A tweak in midfield balance, a fresh pair of legs in wide areas if needed. But the spine that turned Senegal inside out is expected to remain in place.

Iraq next, with standards set

Iraq will arrive knowing exactly what France did to drag themselves out of trouble in their opener. The slow start against Senegal has already given Deschamps his first warning sign of the tournament; the furious response has given him a template.

The message to his players now is simple: start as you finished.