"I have always been a coach that goes out expecting to win a game, not trying not to lose," Australian Arnold said on Sunday in Philadelphia, where the encounter will take place.

"When you have that mentality, yes you will have days where it might not work but you will get plenty of days where it does work.

"We will go out with the belief and expectation to win and that puts the players in a good mindset."

A result against France, however, would keep Iraq’s hopes alive and give them something to build on heading into Matchday Three but the challenge will be formidable.

"I asked if we could play three goalkeepers, but they said no," joked former Australia coach Arnold when asked how his team planned to handle the opposition threat.

"They have some incredible players and it is an honour, but we are focused on ourselves, our own performance. We are making sure the players are completely ready to go out there and show the world what they are about."

Arnold admitted he had not yet decided if captain Jalal Hassan would retain his place in goal, but revealed that winger Ali Jasim was fit to start after coming off against Norway.

He said he was looking forward to measuring himself against France head coach Didier Deschamps, who will step down at the end of the FIFA World Cup after 14 years in charge.

"He is a fantastic coach and he has had a huge amount of success with France," said Arnold, 62, who became coach of the Lions of Mesopotamia in May last year.

"You can see that all the players love him, the way they react to him all the time, and that will be the motivation for France to try and do something special for him at his last World Cup.

"Overall he has just done an incredible job and he is a great man."