This is one of the most lopsided matches of the entire 2026 World Cup group stage. France, ranked #1 in the world and managed by Didier Deschamps in what he has confirmed will be his final World Cup, arrive boasting Kylian Mbappé (96 caps, 56 int'l goals), Ballon d'Or holder Ousmane Dembélé (35 goals, CL winner 2024-25 with PSG), Michael Olise (Bayern Munich), and a world-class midfield headlined by Tchouaméni, Rabiot and Kanté. Iraq, in their first World Cup in 40 years, arrive on the back of a heroic but gruelling qualification campaign managed by Australian Graham Arnold. Coach Arnold deserves enormous credit for organising Iraq into a disciplined 4-4-2 with two compact banks of four, and the team's spirit is undoubted — they beat Bolivia in a last-chance playoff just weeks ago. However, with 10 squad players from the Iraqi domestic league (ranked 85th in the world by Opta), the quality step-up is simply enormous. Asianetnews gives France a 70% win probability, Oddspedia's SmartBet puts France win at over 72% in all modelling, and the community consensus on Oddspedia is 100% France (12 of 12 tipsters). Odds: France @1.09–1.14, implying 87–92% probability. Our prediction: France win 3-0, with Mbappé and Dembélé leading the rout.