France Coach Didier Deschamps Sticks with Winning Formula Against Iraq

Didier Deschamps is not in the mood to tinker. After watching his France side brush aside Senegal 3-1 in their World Cup opener, the France coach is expected to stick with the same core when Les Bleus face Iraq on Monday evening, according to L’Équipe.

He has little reason to rip anything up. France were sluggish out of the blocks against Les Lions de la Teranga, second to duels and short of tempo in a first half that never really caught fire. The mood changed in the dressing room. Deschamps delivered a sharp reminder of standards, and his players returned with a different edge.

The response was ruthless. With greater intensity in the press and more conviction on the ball, France punched through Senegal three times after the break, turning an awkward opener into a statement win. That second‑half surge, rather than the flat start, is what Deschamps intends to reward.

No fitness alarms have forced his hand either. The win over Senegal left no new injury concerns in its wake, giving the France boss close to a full deck. Malo Gusto and William Saliba are still being managed carefully as they receive treatment for existing fitness issues, but their situations are described as minor rather than alarming.

So the message from the France camp is continuity. Same structure, same leaders, same ambition. Iraq await, fully aware that if the version of France that emerged after half-time against Senegal turns up from the first whistle, they will be facing a team already playing at knockout-round speed.