The unexpected points earned by underdogs like Qatar and Cape Verde are encouraging Iran to pull off a surprise of their own in their World Cup opener against Norway on Tuesday.
"Absolutely. It's time to show the world what we can do. Just being here isn't enough. We want to perform as well as possible and shock the world," coach Graham Arnold said.
Qatar played out a 1-1 with Switzerland, while Cape Verde held top favourites Spain to a goalless draw.
Iraq are returning to the World Cup for the first time since 1986 and are the clear underdogs against Norway, who have top striker Erling Haaland.
"Of course he's an outstanding player. I love the way he plays. We have to be ready for the one-on-one match-ups," Arnold said.
Arnold has been coaching Iraq team since May 2025. The country's enthusiasm for football has made a lasting impression on the Australian.
"They're crazy about football. They're obsessed with it, more than any other nation," he said.
"On my first day in Baghdad, right after I signed the contract, Real Madrid was playing Barcelona in Spain. And you know what? The government declared a holiday so everyone could watch the game."
The Iraqi team had to prepare under difficult conditions due to the war in the Middle East. But Arnold doesn't want to use it as an excuse.
"Are we going to use this war as an excuse? Or as motivation? If it's going to be an excuse, we might as well go home right now," he recently told the Süddeutsche Zeitung in an interview.
