Graham Arnold

You know, obviously when I resigned, I had a difficult eight months because I'm not a person who likes sitting at home and just staring at four walls.

And, you know, once the Iraq job came along and I got offered it, I'd be honest, if they hadn't not qualified for 40 years, I would never have taken the job.

These 90 minutes, they're life-changing.

Either Bolivia qualify for the first time in 32 years or Iraq for the first time in 40.

There is no more recourse.

Only one place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup remains.

Yeah, look, everyone thinks it was a difficult decision, but it was quite easy.

I always put the nation first, the team first, and myself last, and I just felt that it was time to leave and I'd done my best with this group of players.

Graham Arnold has led Iraq to the FIFA World Cup and now this crowd has come to say thank you.

For the first time in 40 years, the Lions of Mesopotamia will roar at the World Cup.

I am so happy that we made 46 million people happy.

Thanks, Howie.

It's...

It was a crazy month, March, but it finished off in a great way.

I probably would never have taken the job if they had qualified, say, in the last 10 years or so.

The fact that they hadn't qualified for 40 years showed me the great challenge that I was going to have.

And I love a great challenge, Howie, as you know.

Yeah.

But, you know, probably the dagger that's been in my back for all these coaching years has been when Iraq beat the Socceroos when I was an interim coach in 2007, 3-1.

Yeah.