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Jun 09, 2026
Analyzed by Llama- 4 Scout 17B 16E Instruct

René Meulensteen on Coaching Iraq and Helping Ronaldo

AI Summary
René Meulensteen, former Manchester United coach, discusses his experience coaching Iraq's national team and helping Cristiano Ronaldo improve his skills.

The Lead

Iraq's journey to their first World Cup in 40 years was marked by significant challenges, including travel difficulties and a tough playoff against Bolivia. René Meulensteen, assistant to Iraq's coach Graham Arnold, shares insights into the team's journey and his experiences coaching the team.

Iraq's World Cup Journey

Iraq's path to the World Cup involved 20 qualifiers and a decisive playoff in Monterrey, Mexico. The team faced travel chaos due to the Middle East war and airspace closure, with players and staff traveling from different cities to Baghdad and then to Amman, Jordan, for occasional flights.

  • Players traveled up to 8 hours by car or bus to Baghdad.
  • From Baghdad, they traveled 15 hours to Amman, Jordan.
  • Fifa arranged a private charter, but the squad faced a 9-hour delay.
  • They had an 8-hour flight to Lisbon, a 2-hour stopover, and a 12-hour journey to Mexico.

The Playoff and Qualification

Despite the challenging preparation, Iraq beat Bolivia 2-1 to secure their World Cup spot. The match was played in Mexico, where local Mexicans and Iraqis based in the US showed significant support.

The Impact on Iraq

The qualification has brought a huge boost of energy and hope to Iraq, a country still recovering from the aftereffects of the second Gulf war. Meulensteen describes the scenes in Baghdad as 'absolute madness,' with a genuine feel-good factor and a sense of pride among the nation.

Meulensteen's Coaching Experience

Meulensteen, who worked with Cristiano Ronaldo at Manchester United, shares his experiences coaching Ronaldo and his approach to helping players cope with doubts. He emphasizes the importance of setting goals and being unpredictable on the field.

  • Meulensteen encouraged Ronaldo to focus on efficiency and vary his game.
  • He helped Ronaldo set a target of 40 goals for the 2007-08 season, which Ronaldo achieved, scoring 42 goals.

The Future Outlook

Iraq has been drawn into a tough group with France, Senegal, and Norway. Despite the challenges, Meulensteen is optimistic, citing the element of surprise as their biggest strength, as seen in Australia's performance in the last World Cup.