Didier Deschamps handed Manu Koné a start for France against Iraq, moving him into the pivot instead of Aurélien Tchouaméni as part of three changes to the team for the World Cup 2026 match. France lined up in a 4-2-3-1, with Koné alongside Adrien Rabiot in midfield.
The decision matters because it was made for a live World Cup match, with France's selection posted just before kick-off on 10 June 2026. Deschamps also altered the left side, sending Lucas Digne in for Theo Hernandéz and Bradley Barcola in for Désiré Doué, while William Saliba, who had been doubtful, was still passed fit to play.
A storm had already changed the mood around the game in Philadelphia. Fans were asked to delay their arrival, though the gates were open after the request, turning the buildup into a test of timing as much as tactics. The weather did not stop the match, but it did add another layer of uncertainty to a night already shaped by late team news.
France's reshuffle came with Iraq making three changes of its own. Graham Arnold moved Ahmed Basil into goal for Jalal Hassan, gave Aymen Hussein the captain's armband, and started Zidane Iqbal at No 10, with Ahmed Qasem on the left as Iraq appeared to shift from 4-4-2 to 4-2-3-1. Ali Jasim and Ali al-Hamadi dropped to the bench, which meant both teams arrived at the same match with their shape and personnel in motion.
For Koné, the start marked a clear vote of confidence from Deschamps in a game that had been framed around selection rather than nostalgia. The live coverage also threaded in the wider World Cup conversation around Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and the scoring record, but the immediate answer on this night was simpler: Koné was the man chosen to begin in France's midfield, and the next judgment on that choice would come from what he did once the match started.
