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Iraq national football team

February 15, 2023

This article is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Iraq women's national football team.

The Iraq national football team (Arabic: منتخب الْعِرَاق لِكُرَّةُ الْقَدَم; Kurdish: هەڵبژاردەی تۆپی پێی عێراق) represents Iraq in international football and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association (IFA), the governing body for football in Iraq. Iraq's usual home venue is the Basra International Stadium.

Iraq
Nickname(s)أُسُودُ الرَّافِدَيْن
Usood Al-Rafidain
(Lions of Mesopotamia)
AssociationIraq Football Association (IFA)
ConfederationAFC (Asia)
Sub-confederationWAFF (West Asia)
Head coachJesús Casas
CaptainJalal Hassan
Most capsYounis Mahmoud (148)
Top scorerHussein Saeed (78)
Home stadiumBasra International Stadium
FIFA codeIRQ
First colours
Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current 68 (22 December 2022)[1]
Highest39 (6 October 2004)
Lowest139 (3 July 1996)
First international
 Morocco 3–3 Iraq
(Beirut, Lebanon; 19 October 1957)
Biggest win
Iraq 13–0 Ethiopia
(Irbid, Jordan; 18 August 1992)
Biggest defeat
 Turkey 7–1 Iraq
(Adana, Turkey; 6 December 1959)
 Brazil 6–0 Iraq
(Malmö, Sweden; 11 October 2012)
 Chile 6–0 Iraq
(Copenhagen, Denmark; 14 August 2013)
World Cup
Appearances1 (first in 1986)
Best resultGroup stage (1986)
Asian Cup
Appearances9 (first in 1972)
Best resultChampions (2007)
Arab Cup
Appearances6 (first in 1964)
Best resultChampions (1964, 1966, 1985, 1988)
WAFF Championship
Appearances8 (first in 2000)
Best resultChampions (2002)
Arabian Gulf Cup
Appearances16 (first in 1976)
Best resultChampions (1979, 1984, 1988, 2023)
FIFA Confederations Cup
Appearances1 (first in 2009)
Best resultGroup stage (2009)
Medal record
Websiteifa.iq

Iraq have made one FIFA World Cup appearance in 1986, scoring their only goal against Belgium. They are one of eight current AFC nations to have won the AFC Asian Cup, claiming the title in 2007 in spite of difficult conditions and limited preparation. Iraq defeated some of the favourites in the competition including Australia, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. This qualified them for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup where they earned two points in the group stage, and they later finished fourth at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

Iraq's team is known for its passionate football fans and the national team is also seen as a symbol of hope and unity for Iraqi people.[3] The team reached an all-time high of 39th in the FIFA World Rankings in October 2004. Iraq are the current holders of the Arabian Gulf Cup, having won the title as hosts in 2023.

History

Main article: History of the Iraq national football team

Early years

 
The Iraqi national football team in 1951; they played two games in the Turkish cities of İzmir and Ankara.

As early as 1923, an Iraqi team known as Baghdad XI, controlled by the Baghdad Football Association, started to play matches against British Army teams.[4] The Baghdad FA soon disbanded and it was not until 8 October 1948 that the Iraq Football Association was founded. The Iraq FA joined FIFA in 1950 and on 2 May 1951, Iraq played their first match: a 1–1 draw to a team named Basra XI.[5][4]

Iraq's first ever official international game came in the opening game of the 1957 Pan Arab Games in Beirut where Iraq drew 3–3 to Morocco with goals from Ammo Baba, Youra Eshaya (both from Iraq's Assyrian minority) and Fakhri Mohammed Salman.[6][4] One of the members of Iraq's first national team was Youra Eshaya, who in 1954 became the first Iraqi footballer to play abroad and in Europe for English Football League side Bristol Rovers.

In 1962, Iraq appointed their first foreign manager, Romanian coach Cornel Drăgușin. Iraq won their first trophy in 1964 when they won the Arab Cup, winning three and drawing one of their four games. In the following edition, they retained their Arab Cup title, beating Syria 2–1 in the final in Baghdad.[4]

1970s

In 1972, Iraq played at their first ever AFC Asian Cup but failed to win a game in the tournament. In March 1973, Iraq played their first ever FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. They finished second in their group, a point behind Australia, therefore failing to qualify for the next round. In the remaining years of the 1970s, Iraq reached the second round of the Asian Games (1974), lost the Arabian Gulf Cup final (1976), finished fourth at the AFC Asian Cup (1976), finished fourth in the Asian Games (1978) and finally hosted and won the Arabian Gulf Cup (1979).[7] The 1976 Asian Cup would be the last Asian Cup that Iraq appeared in for the next 20 years, as they withdrew from the next four editions.

1980s – First Golden Generation

The 1980s was arguably Iraq's most successful period in their history. They started the decade off disappointingly, being knocked out in the first round of qualifiers for the 1982 FIFA World Cup. In 1982, they won the gold medal at the 1982 Asian Games. In 1984, Iraq won the Arabian Gulf Cup. The following year, they won the 1985 Arab Cup and also won the gold medal at the 1985 Pan Arab Games.

1986 FIFA World Cup

Iraq were seeded into the first round of qualifiers where they faced Qatar and Jordan. Iraq topped Group 1B with 6 points, and advanced to the second round. Iraq faced United Arab Emirates in two legs. Iraq defeated UAE 3–2 in Dubai. Iraq lost with 2–1 to UAE in the second leg. Iraq won 4–4 aggregate on away goals and advanced to the final round. In the final round, Iraq tied Syria 0–0 in Damascus. Iraq defeated Syria 3–1 in the second leg in Taif. Iraq won 3–1 on aggregate and qualified to the 1986 FIFA World Cup

At their first game of the Group B at the 1986 FIFA World Cup, Iraq played well against Paraguay, losing narrowly 1–0 despite scoring a goal that was controversially disallowed by the referee. Iraq recorded their first World Cup goal in the second game, scoring against Belgium in a 1–2 defeat despite having ten men, with Ahmed Radhi scoring a goal for Iraq. Iraq played against hosts Mexico in the third game, losing 1–0 and being eliminated from the World Cup.

In the following years, Iraq won the 1988 Arabian Gulf Cup and won the 1988 Arab Cup. Overall, Iraq won nine competitions in the 1980s and played in their only World Cup, leading many to believe that this was the golden era of Iraqi football. In 1989, Iraq competed in qualifying for a berth in the 1990 World Cup finals, but they lost a crucial game against Qatar.

1990s – The Dark Era

Following the Gulf War in 1990, Iraq was banned from participating in the Asian Games and in most Arab competitions, leading them to participate in friendly competitions instead.

In 1993, Iraq participated in qualifiers for the 1994 FIFA World Cup and reached the final round but finished fourth in the group, missing out on a World Cup spot by two points. By drawing their last game with Japan 2–2, they denied the Japanese a place in the finals in a match referred to by the Japanese media as the Agony of Doha.[8]

Iraq participated in the 1996 AFC Asian Cup, their first Asian Cup campaign for 20 years of withdrawing from the previous four. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to the United Arab Emirates due to a golden goal scored by Abdulrahman Ibrahim. In 1996, Iraq was ranked 139th in the world, which is their worst FIFA ranking in their history due to inactivity after withdrawing from several tournaments.

In 1997, Iraq participated in qualifiers for the 1998 FIFA World Cup but were knocked out at the first round following two defeats by Kazakhstan.

This period is known as 'The Dark Era' as Uday Hussein, the son of Saddam Hussein, abused his control of Iraqi football and tortured players who played poorly, punishing them by sending them to prison, making them bathe in raw sewage and kick concrete balls, and shaving their heads among many other punishments.[9][10]

2000s – Second Golden Generation

The 2000s was widely considered to be the rebirth and rise of one of Iraq's greatest football generation second only to the 1980s generation.

However, Iraq had a rocky beginning. It played in the 2000 AFC Asian Cup but were knocked out at the quarter-final stage again, this time by Japan in a 4–1 loss. Iraq reached the second round of 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification but lost five of their eight second-round games and therefore failed to make the finals. Iraq won their first ever WAFF Championship in 2002, beating Jordan 3–2 in the final after extra time despite being two goals down.

In 2004, Iraq once again reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup before getting knocked out by China. In the same year they were knocked out at the second round of 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers by Uzbekistan.

Iraq were ranked as high as 39th in the World Rankings in October 2004 which is their highest ranking position in their history. The following year, Iraq won the gold medal in the West Asian Games by beating Syria in the final via a penalty shootout. In 2007, Iraq were knocked out at the group stage of the Arabian Gulf Cup. The exit from the Gulf Cup happened in very controversial circumstances as Iraq attempted to make an agreement with Saudi Arabia to draw the final game which would put both teams through to the next round; the Iraq manager Akram Salman told the Iraqi players not to win the game but the Saudi Arabian players were unaware of any agreement and went on to win the game and knock Iraq out of the cup.[11] Akram Salman was sacked and Jorvan Vieira appointed as head coach. Under him, Iraq reached the final of the WAFF Championship but lost 2–1 to Iran.

2007 AFC Asian Cup triumph

 
Iraq playing against Australia in Group A of the 2007 AFC Asian Cup; Iraq won the game 3–1 on their way to winning the cup.

In July 2007, Iraq kicked off their 2007 AFC Asian Cup campaign. The squad was made mainly of players that had finished fourth at the 2004 Olympic Games and finished second at the 2006 Asian Games. Vieira only had two months to prepare his team for the tournament, and the team suffered from very poor facilities. The Iraq FA struggled to provide the team with enough kits for the tournament and Iraq had not been able to play any previous games in their own country for security reasons and most of the players had had family members killed in the war.

The team started the tournament with a 1–1 draw against joint-hosts Thailand before producing a 3–1 win over favourites Australia. A draw with Oman followed to put Iraq into the quarter-finals where two goals from Younis Mahmoud against Vietnam put Iraq into the semi-finals for the second time in their history. They manages to knock out one of the best Asian teams, South Korea in the semis via a penalty shootout in which Noor Sabri made a crucial save. After the game, a suicide bomber killed 30 football fans who were celebrating the semi-final win over South Korea and this almost led to the Iraqi team withdrawing from the final, but they decided to go on in honour of the dead and succeeded in doing that after defeating Saudi Arabia 1–0 in the final, a game that they dominated from start to finish and that was won by a Younis Mahmoud header. This tournament win is seen as one of the greatest upsets in international history as a war-torn country became international champions in what is described as one of sport's greatest 'fairytales'.[12][13]

Asian Cup aftermath

Vieira stated during the final that he would resign after the Asian Cup.[14] He was replaced by Egil Olsen in September 2007.[15] Under Olsen, Iraq advanced to the third round of World Cup qualifiers, but after a 1–1 draw with China, the FA sacked Olsen and replaced him with Adnan Hamad.[16] Iraq failed to advance to the final round of 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers as a 1–0 defeat to Qatar saw them finish in third in the group. Following this, the Iraq FA decided to disband the team and sacked Hamad.[17]

Jorvan Vieira was reappointed in September 2008. After a disappointing 2009 Arabian Gulf Cup, Vieira was sacked and replaced by Bora Milutinovic.[18]

2009 FIFA Confederations Cup

In 2009, Iraq participated in only their second FIFA tournament ever: the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, which they qualified for by winning the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. They started the tournament with a 0–0 draw with hosts South Africa, before losing 1–0 to UEFA Euro 2008 winners Spain. Iraq drew the last game 0–0 with New Zealand and were knocked out.

On 20 November 2009, the FIFA Emergency Committee suspended the Iraq FA due to government interference;[19] the suspension was lifted on 19 March 2010.[20]

2010s – Ups and downs

 
The Iraqi national team pose ahead of their 2019 AFC Asian Cup match against Iran in Dubai.

In the 2011 AFC Asian Cup, Iraq reached the quarter finals, as they lost 1–0 to Australia. The match went into extra time with Harry Kewell heading in a goal in the 117th minute just inside the 18-yard box. In the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification, Iraq topped the group in the third round but finished bottom of their group in the final round.

On the last matchday, Iraq qualified for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup by beating China 3–1. In the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, Iraq defeated Iran in the quarter-finals in penalties, 7–6, after the game ended 3–3 after 120 minutes of play. They faced South Korea in the semi-finals but lost 0–2 and failed to progress to the final. Iraq finished the AFC Asian Cup in fourth place, after losing 2–3 to United Arab Emirates in third place match.

Four years later, Iraq finished fifth in the final round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.

On 3 September 2018, Srečko Katanec was appointed as head coach on a three-year contract.[21] Under Katanec, Iraq reached the round of 16 of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup as they lost 1–0 to eventual champions Qatar.[22]

2020s

Under Katanec, Iraq reached the final round of 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification with five wins from eight matches including a 2–1 victory against Iran.[23] Iraq went 19 consecutive matches without losing between 2019 and 2021 and moved up from 89th to 68th in the FIFA rankings during Katanec's tenure. Katanec departed in July 2021 after six months of unpaid wages and filed a complaint with FIFA.[24]

On 31 July 2021, Dutchman Dick Advocaat was appointed head coach of Iraq.[25] Under Advocaat, Iraq made to a slow start to the third round of World Cup Qualifiers, drawing four games and losing two, and on 21 November 2021, Advocaat resigned. Željko Petrović took charge of the team for the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup, where Iraq were eliminated from the group stage. Petrović was sacked after two further winless qualifying games and Abdul-Ghani Shahad was appointed as an interim manager, but Iraq were eliminated after finishing fourth in the group.

On 7 November 2022, Jesús Casas was appointed head coach of Iraq to lead the national team in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup and 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.[26] In the first tournament under Casas' leadership, Iraq hosted and won the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup, beating Oman 3–2 after extra time in the final.[27]

Team image

Kit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Iraq national football team kits.

The Iraqi national football team kit has previously been manufactured by brands such as Adidas, Puma, Nike, Diadora, Jack & Jones, Lotto, Peak, Givova and Umbro. Its current kit supplier is Jako.[28][29]

Kit suppliers

Kit supplier Period Notes
  Umbro 1984–1986
  Adidas 1986–1994
  Puma 1996
  Patrick 2000
  Jako 2003–2004
  Jack & Jones 2004–2006
  Diadora 2006
  Lotto 2006
  Adidas 2007
  Umbro 2007
  Peak 2008–2014
  Adidas 2014
  Jako 2014–2019
  Givova 2019–2020
  Umbro 2020–2022[30]
  Jako 2022–

Nickname

 
Lion in ceramic tile from the Ishtar Gate in Babylon.

The Iraqi team is commonly known as Usood Al-Rafidain (Arabic: أُسُودُ الرَّافِدَيْن), meaning "Lions of Mesopotamia". In ancient Mesopotamia, the Babylonian lion was a symbol of power, impetuosity, ferocity, prestige and dominance.[31] This is reflected in the sculpted lions in Babylon, where the processional path is ornamented with ceramic tile bas-reliefs representing a prestigious lion from the time of Nebuchadnezzar II. This kind of representation aimed to glorify the king, master of the beasts, and also represent the defeat of the enemy.[32] Moreover, the Chaldean royal inscriptions depict the king as a ferocious lion to whom nothing can be resisted.[33][34][35] The presence of lions in ancient Iraqi civilization was based on the belief, or desire, that the animals represented would bring with them the virtues they symbolized, so that they could be transmitted to the owners.[36]

Iraq kits throughout history have usually featured the flag of Iraq on them, although the coat of arms of Iraq (in part or full) and the Iraq Football Association logo have both appeared on kits in the past. The national team has occasionally had its own unique logo, the first of which was in 1983. This logo was based on the Iraq flag, with Iraqi written at the top of the crest.[37] A new logo appeared on the national team's shirts during the 7th Arabian Gulf Cup in 1988, featuring a vertical flag in a new shape. From 2000 to 2002, the national team's logo featured a green outline with the word Iraq written at the top in green Arabic text. In the 2005 West Asian Games, the team wore a new logo with the red band of the flag appearing in a large semi-circle shape,[38] and in 2007, Iraq briefly reverted to using the logo that they had used from 2000 to 2002. On 23 October 2020, the national team's current logo was revealed, with a star featuring above the crest to commemorate the nation's 2007 AFC Asian Cup victory.[39]

  •  

    1983

  •  

    1988

  •  

    2000–2002, 2007

  •  

    2005

  •  

    2020–present

Rivalries

Main articles: Iran–Iraq football rivalry, Iraq–Saudi Arabia football rivalry, and Iraq–Kuwait football rivalry

Due to geographical location, Iraq maintains strong rivalries with many neighbours.

Iraq's main and traditional rival has been Iran, and they are often considered to be two of the greatest football teams in the Middle East and Asia with one of the greatest rivalries. At the early stage, Iran had proved to be more dominant than Iraq, remaining undefeated from 1964 until 1993. In the contemporary era, especially during the reign of Saddam Hussein, the two countries had bad relations and fought the Iran–Iraq War for eight years.[40][41] Iraqis have considered any matches against Iran as a must-win encounter and are known to treat it differently from any other football matches.[42] Iraq has played 31 matches against Iran with 6 victories, 7 draws, and 18 losses.

Iraq's other rival is Saudi Arabia, and matches between the two teams also draw significant attention from Iraqi fans, with Iraq and Saudi Arabia being recognised as the two most successful Arab teams in Asia. The beginnings of the footballing rivalry between them dates back to the 1970s, but it was only after the 1990s that the rivalry between the two Arab nations truly developed since it was previously overshadowed by Iraq's rivalries with Iran and Kuwait.[43] One of these reasons for the rivalry to develop is due to the bitter Gulf War, where Iraq fought against Saudi Arabia over Kuwait, an ally of Saudi Arabia.[44] These encounters have also been marred with various controversies and hostilities, such as the 21st Arabian Gulf Cup hosting rights, where Iraq was stripped from hosting with the tournament instead being moved to Bahrain, a move which was believed by Iraqis as a deliberate act by Saudi Arabia to remove Iraq's home advantage.[44] Before that, Iraq was also banned from hosting home games against Saudi Arabia due to the Gulf War.[44] Iraq has played 40 matches against Saudi Arabia with 18 victories, 11 draws, and 11 losses

Iraq's rivalry with Kuwait was once considered the greatest football rivalry in the Middle East, until being taken over by Iraq's rivalry with Saudi Arabia due to Kuwait's decline. The rivalry began in the mid-1970s. Because of the Gulf War, Iraq and Kuwait were in complete avoidance and never met for more than 15 years until 2005. Iraq has played 37 matches against Kuwait with 17 victories, 10 draws, and 10 losses.

Supporters

 
Iraqi fans in London celebrating Iraq winning the 2007 AFC Asian Cup.

Iraq national team supporters are known for chanting "O Victorious Baghdad" ("منصورة يا بغداد") or "With our souls and our blood, we will redeem you, O Iraq" ("بالروح بالدم نفديك يا عراق") during the Iraqi team's matches.[45]

Another famous chant is "the first goal is coming" ("هسه يجي الاول") which is chanted in the beginning of the match.[46] A succeeding chant is "the second goal is coming" ("هسه يجي الثاني"); this is usually chanted repeatedly after Iraq score a goal to motivate the players to score another.

Home matches in Iraq

 
Basra International Stadium during the second opening friendly match between Al-Zawraa and Zamalek in 2013.

Currently, Iraq primarily play their home matches in Basra or Baghdad, and use other various stadiums around Iraq. Since 1980, FIFA imposed bans on seven occasions that prevented Iraq from hosting competitive international games.

Pre-2003

The first ban was imposed in 1980 after an Olympic qualifying play-off between Iraq and Kuwait in Baghdad, where the match referee was attacked by enraged home fans and members of the Iraqi team after the Malaysian official's decision to award a match-changing penalty to the Kuwaitis that led to Iraq losing 3–2. The ban was lifted in 1982.[47]

Around the same time, the Iran–Iraq War started and the ban was imposed again. Iraq played their qualifying home games at a neutral venue and still qualified for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, and three Olympic Games (Moscow, Los Angeles and Seoul). The ban was lifted in 1988, when the war ended.

When the Gulf War broke out in 1990, FIFA banned Iraq from hosting matches again until 1995. Iraq played at home at the 1998 World Cup qualifiers and 2002 World Cup qualifiers.

Post-2003

The Iraq War in 2003 forced Iraq to play their home matches outside the country for security reasons, and so home games were held at neutral venues for the 2006 World Cup qualifiers, 2007 Asian Cup qualifiers and 2010 World Cup qualifiers. In July 2009, Iraq played on home soil for the first time since the Iraq War, against Palestine in Erbil and Baghdad. The same month, the AFC Executive Committee approved the Franso Hariri Stadium as Iraq's venue for international matches and for clubs in continental tournaments.[48]

On 23 July 2011, Iraq played a FIFA World Cup qualifier on home ground for the first time since 2001, defeating Yemen 2–0 at Franso Hariri Stadium in Erbil. However, FIFA re-imposed the ban on 23 September 2011 due to fears over security and a breach of safety regulations in the qualifying match with Jordan. Between 2013 and 2018, Iraq played various friendlies on home soil – in 2013 against Syria and Liberia in Baghdad, and in 2017 against Jordan, Kenya and Syria in Basra and Karbala. After successfully hosting these friendlies, on 16 March 2018, FIFA announced the lifting of the ban on competitive matches in the three cities.[49] The 2018 AFC Cup Final was hosted in Basra,[50] and in the summer of 2019, Iraq hosted the 2019 WAFF Championship.[51]

However, following the outbreak of the 2019 Iraqi protests, FIFA once again imposed competitive home matches ban on Iraq.[52] This meant that Iraq played the 2022 World Cup qualifiers at neutral venues.

The ban was briefly lifted before being re-imposed following the 2022 Erbil missile attacks. In 2023, Iraq hosted the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup, which was the first time they had hosted the tournament since 1979.[53]

Recent results and fixtures

Main article: Iraq national football team results
Further information: Iraq national football team results (2020–present)

  Win   Draw   Loss   Fixtures

2022

1 February 2022 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification Lebanon   1–1   Iraq Sidon, Lebanon
14:00 UTC+2 Sabra   45+2' Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)		 Hussein   39' Stadium: Saida Municipal Stadium, Sidon
Attendance: 6,341
Referee: Adham Makhadmeh (Jordan)
18 March 2022 Friendly Iraq   3–1   Zambia Baghdad, Iraq
20:00 UTC+3
Report
Stadium: Al-Madina Stadium
Attendance: 25,237
Referee: Yousif Saeed Hasan (Iraq)
24 March 2022 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq   1–0   United Arab Emirates Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
20:00 UTC+3 Al-Saedi   53' Report (FIFA)
Report (AFC)		 Stadium: King Fahd Stadium
Referee: Ma Ning (China)
29 March 2022 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification Syria   1–1   Iraq Dubai, UAE
21:00 UTC+4
Stadium: Rashid Stadium
Referee: Ryuji Sato (Japan)
23 September 2022 Jordan International Tournament Iraq   1–1
(3–4 p)		   Oman Amman, Jordan
18:00 UTC+3
  • Al-Malki   82'
 Stadium: King Abdullah II Stadium
Penalties
26 September 2022 Jordan International Tournament Iraq   1–0   Syria Amman, Jordan
18:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Amman International Stadium
9 November 2022 Friendly Mexico   4–0   Iraq Girona, Spain
21:00 UTC+1
Report Stadium: Estadi Montilivi
Referee: Guillermo Cuadra Fernández (Spain)
12 November 2022 Friendly Ecuador   0–0   Iraq Madrid, Spain
18:30 UTC+1 Stadium: Metropolitano Stadium
30 December 2022 Friendly Iraq   1–0   Kuwait Basra, Iraq
15:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Al-Minaa Olympic Stadium
Attendance: 21,452
Referee: Zaid Thamer (Iraq)

2023

6 January 2023 Arabian Gulf Cup Iraq   0–0   Oman Basra, Iraq
19:00 UTC+3 Report Stadium: Basra International Stadium
Attendance: 72,865
Referee: István Kovács (Romania)
9 January 2023 Arabian Gulf Cup Saudi Arabia   0–2   Iraq Basra, Iraq
19:15 UTC+3 Report
Stadium: Basra International Stadium
Attendance: 65,155
Referee: Adnan Al-Naqbi (United Arab Emirates)
12 January 2023 Arabian Gulf Cup Iraq   5–0   Yemen Basra, Iraq
18:00 UTC+3
Report Stadium: Basra International Stadium
Referee: Ilgiz Tantanev (Uzbekistan)
16 January 2023 Arabian Gulf Cup SF Iraq   2–1   Qatar Basra, Iraq
16:15 UTC+3
Report
Stadium: Basra International Stadium
Attendance: 64,520
Referee: Ma Ning (China)
19 January 2023 (2023-01-19) Arabian Gulf Cup Final Iraq   3–2 (a.e.t.)   Oman Basra, Iraq
19:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Basra International Stadium
Attendance: 64,570
Referee: István Kovács (Romania)

All-time results

Main article: Iraq national football team results
As of 19 January 2023
Year GP W D L Win % Matches
1957–1969 37 15 12 10 040.54 Matches
1970–1979 113 61 30 22 053.98 Matches
1980–1989 128 69 35 24 053.91 Matches
1990–1999 56 33 14 9 058.93 Matches
2000–2009 141 55 42 44 039.01 Matches
2010–2019 159 67 44 48 042.14 Matches
2020–present 36 17 13 6 047.22 Matches
Total 670 317 190 163 047.31

Coaching staff

Main article: List of Iraq national football team managers

As of 6 November 2022.[54]

Position Name
Head coach   Jesús Casas
Assistant coaches   Alejandro Varela
  Salva Romero
Goalkeeping coach   David Valle
Head of delegation Vacant
Interpreter   Mohammad Abdul Hafeth
Team manager   Mahdi Karim
Fitness coach   Javier Sánchez Benavent
Match analyst   Pablo Grandes
Chief medical officer   Abdul Karim Saffar
Media coordinator   Mohamed Emad Zubair

Players

For all past and present players who have appeared for the national team, see List of Iraq international footballers.

Current squad

The following 23 players were called up for the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup in January 2023 in Basra.

Caps and goals correct as of 19 January 2023, after the game against Oman

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
1 1GK Fahad Talib (1994-10-21) 21 October 1994 (age 28) 18 0   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
12 1GK Jalal Hassan (captain) (1991-05-18) 18 May 1991 (age 31) 71 0   Al-Zawraa
22 1GK Ahmed Basil (1996-08-19) 19 August 1996 (age 26) 2 0   Al-Shorta
2 2DF Manaf Younis (1996-11-16) 16 November 1996 (age 26) 17 1   Al-Shorta
3 2DF Zaid Tahseen (2001-01-29) 29 January 2001 (age 22) 4 0   Al-Talaba
4 2DF Mustafa Nadhim (1993-09-23) 23 September 1993 (age 29) 42 4   Al-Shorta
5 2DF Ali Faez (1994-09-09) 9 September 1994 (age 28) 47 4   Al-Talaba
6 2DF Alai Ghasem (2003-02-16) 16 February 2003 (age 19) 9 0   IFK Goteborg
15 2DF Dhurgham Ismail (1994-05-24) 24 May 1994 (age 28) 70 4   Al-Talaba
17 2DF Hussein Ammar (1999-08-18) 18 August 1999 (age 23) 3 0   Naft Al Basra
7 3MF Hussein Ali (1996-11-29) 29 November 1996 (age 26) 50 6   CS Sfaxien
8 3MF Ibrahim Bayesh (2000-05-01) 1 May 2000 (age 22) 39 6   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
10 3MF Hassan Abdulkareem (1999-01-01) 1 January 1999 (age 24) 14 1   Al-Zawraa
11 3MF Sherko Karim (1996-05-25) 25 May 1996 (age 26) 22 1   Erbil
13 3MF Rewan Amin (1996-01-08) 8 January 1996 (age 27) 6 0   Duhok
14 3MF Amjad Attwan (1997-03-12) 12 March 1997 (age 25) 72 3   Al-Shamal
16 3MF Amir Al-Ammari (1997-07-27) 27 July 1997 (age 25) 17 1   IFK Goteborg
19 3MF Mohammed Ali Abboud (2000-10-01) 1 October 2000 (age 22) 15 0   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
20 3MF Hussein Jabbar (1998-03-09) 9 March 1998 (age 24) 10 0   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
23 3MF Moammel Abdul-Ridha (2000-03-28) 28 March 2000 (age 22) 3 0   Al-Talaba
9 4FW Alaa Abbas (1997-07-27) 27 July 1997 (age 25) 27 4   Al-Zawraa
18 4FW Aymen Hussein (1996-03-22) 22 March 1996 (age 26) 61 14   Al-Jazira
21 4FW Aso Rostam (1994-12-01) 1 December 1994 (age 28) 6 1   Al-Shorta

Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up within the last 12 months and remain eligible for selection.

Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Ali Ebadi (2000-02-16) 16 February 2000 (age 22) 0 0   Al-Kahrabaa 25th Arabian Gulf Cup
GK Hassan Ahmed (1999-10-04) 4 October 1999 (age 23) 0 0   Al-Talaba 25th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE
GK Dolvan Mahdi (1993-10-27) 27 October 1993 (age 29) 0 0   Al-Talaba Friendlies, November 2022
GK Ahmed Shaker (1998-09-19) 19 September 1998 (age 24) 0 0   Al-Karkh Friendlies, November 2022 PRE INJ
GK Hassan Habib (2001-04-28) 28 April 2001 (age 21) 0 0   Zakho 2022 Jordan International Tournament PRE
GK Mohammed Hameed (1993-01-24) 24 January 1993 (age 30) 37 0   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v.   Syria, 29 March 2022
GK Mohammed Shakir (1996-09-28) 28 September 1996 (age 26) 0 0   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v.   Zambia, 18 March 2022
GK Mohammed Saleh (1995-06-12) 12 June 1995 (age 27) 0 0   Zakho v.   Zambia, 18 March 2022
DF Ahmed Yahya (1997-05-27) 27 May 1997 (age 25) 1 0   Al-Shorta 25th Arabian Gulf CupINJ
DF Hassan Raed (2000-09-23) 23 September 2000 (age 22) 10 0   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 25th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE
DF Hamza Adnan (1996-02-08) 8 February 1996 (age 27) 5 0   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 25th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE
DF Ahmed Abdul-Hussein (1997-10-22) 22 October 1997 (age 25) 4 0   Al-Zawraa 25th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE
DF Karrar Amer (1994-10-16) 16 October 1994 (age 28) 3 0   Al-Najaf v.   Ecuador, 12 November 2022
DF Ahmed Zero (2002-11-10) 10 November 2002 (age 20) 1 0   Al-Shorta v.   Mexico, 9 November 2022
DF Mohanad Jeahze (1997-04-10) 10 April 1997 (age 25) 4 0   D.C. United Friendlies, November 2022 PRE INJ
DF Merchas Doski (1999-12-07)7 December 1999 (aged 22) 2 0   Slovácko Friendlies, November 2022 PRE WD
DF Abbas Mohamad (1998-06-15) 15 June 1998 (age 24) 1 0   GAIS Goteborg v.   Syria, 26 September 2022
DF Martin Haddad (1999-12-08) 8 December 1999 (age 23) 0 0   Naft Al-Wasat 2022 Jordan International Tournament PRE
DF Ruslan Hanoon (1996-03-04) 4 March 1996 (age 26) 1 0   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 2022 Jordan International Tournament PRE
DF Cardo Siddik (2002-09-21)21 September 2002 (aged 19) 0 0   Crystal Palace U23 2022 Jordan International Tournament INJ
DF Muntadher Mohammed (2001-06-05) 5 June 2001 (age 21) 2 0   Al-Taawon 2022 Jordan International Tournament PRE
DF Ahmed Ibrahim (1992-02-25) 25 February 1992 (age 30) 118 5   Erbil v.   Syria, 29 March 2022
DF Mustafa Mohammed (1998-01-14) 14 January 1998 (age 25) 16 0   Al-Zawraa v.   Syria, 29 March 2022
DF Abbas Qasim (1991-01-15) 15 January 1991 (age 32) 3 0   Al-Zawraa v.   Syria, 29 March 2022
DF Saad Natiq (1994-03-19) 19 March 1994 (age 28) 32 0   Abha v.   United Arab Emirates, 24 March 2022
DF Maitham Jabbar (2000-11-10) 10 November 2000 (age 22) 19 0   Al-Zawraa v.   Zambia, 18 March 2022
DF Haider Ahmed (1996-02-02) 2 February 1996 (age 27) 0 0   Al-Zawraa v.   Zambia, 18 March 2022
MF Ahmed Farhan (1999-01-01) 1 January 1999 (age 24) 6 0   Al-Shorta 25th Arabian Gulf CupINJ
MF Ahmed Yasin (1991-04-22) 22 April 1991 (age 31) 63 6   Al-Kholood 25th Arabian Gulf Cup WD
MF Saad Abdul-Amir (1992-01-19) 19 January 1992 (age 31) 84 4   Al-Zawraa 25th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE
MF Shihab Razzaq (1995-10-07) 7 October 1995 (age 27) 2 0   Al-Karkh 25th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE
MF Bassam Shakir (2000-05-17) 17 May 2000 (age 22) 2 0   Al-Shorta 25th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE
MF Jiloan Hamad (1990-11-06) 6 November 1990 (age 32) 1 0   Al-Kholood 25th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE
MF Ali Mahdi (1995-06-26) 26 June 1995 (age 27) 0 0   Al-Talaba 25th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE
MF Louaï Al-Ani (1997-07-12) 12 July 1997 (age 25) 0 0   Al-Zawraa 25th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE
MF Ahmed Sartip (2000-02-20) 20 February 2000 (age 22) 0 0   Erbil 25th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE
MF Mohammed Qasim (1996-12-06) 6 December 1996 (age 26) 24 2   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v.   Ecuador, 12 November 2022
MF Sajad Jassim (1998-01-07) 7 January 1998 (age 25) 9 1   Al-Shorta v.   Ecuador, 12 November 2022
MF Hiran Ahmed (2000-04-06) 6 April 2000 (age 22) 3 0   FC Thun v.   Mexico, 9 November 2022
MF Zidane Iqbal (2003-04-27) 27 April 2003 (age 19) 3 0   Manchester United Friendlies, November 2022
MF Alexander Aoraha (2003-01-17) 17 January 2003 (age 20) 1 0   Queens Park Rangers U21 v.   Ecuador, 12 November 2022
MF Marwan Bazi (1998-02-03) 3 February 1998 (age 25) 0 0   Jönköpings Södra IF Friendlies, November 2022 PRE
MF Muntadher Abdul-Amir (2001-10-06) 6 October 2001 (age 21) 0 0   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya 2022 Jordan International Tournament PRE
MF Justin Meram (1988-12-04) 4 December 1988 (age 34) 37 4   Real Salt Lake v.   Syria, 29 March 2022
MF Bashar Resan (1996-12-22) 22 December 1996 (age 26) 52 3   Qatar SC v.   Syria, 29 March 2022
MF Hassan Dakhel (1997-10-19) 19 October 1997 (age 25) 0 0   Naft Al-Wasat v.   United Arab Emirates, 24 March 2022
MF Ali Husni (1994-05-23) 23 May 1994 (age 28) 28 3   Al-Shorta v.   Zambia, 18 March 2022
MF Mohammed Mezher (1998-03-24) 24 March 1998 (age 24) 2 0   Al-Najaf v.   Zambia, 18 March 2022
MF Murad Mohammed (1997-04-01) 1 April 1997 (age 25) 1 0   Al-Zawraa v.   Zambia, 18 March 2022
MF Ameer Sabah (1998-06-03) 3 June 1998 (age 24) 0 0   Al-Shorta v.   Zambia, 18 March 2022
MF Youssef Fawzi (1998-12-01) 1 December 1998 (age 24) 0 0   Al-Karkh v.   Zambia, 18 March 2022
FW Amar Muhsin (1997-12-27) 27 December 1997 (age 25) 2 0   Helsingborgs IF 25th Arabian Gulf Cup PRE WD
FW Ali Al-Hamadi (2002-03-01) 1 March 2002 (age 20) 5 0   AFC Wimbledon Friendlies, November 2022 PRE WD
FW Kevin Yakob (2000-10-10) 10 October 2000 (age 22) 0 0   AGF Friendlies, November 2022 PRE WD
FW Wakaa Ramadan (1999-04-17) 17 April 1999 (age 23) 0 0   Al-Talaba 2022 Jordan International Tournament PRE
FW Mohannad Abdul-Raheem (1993-09-22) 22 September 1993 (age 29) 50 11   Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v.   Syria, 29 March 2022

SUS Player suspended
INJ Player injured
PRE Player was named in preliminary squad
RET Player retired from the national team
WD Player withdrew for non-injury related reasons

Records

Main article: Iraq national football team records and statistics
See also: List of Iraq international footballers
As of 6 January 2023.[55]
Players in bold are still active with Iraq.

Most capped players

 
Younis Mahmoud is Iraq's all-time most capped player, having played in 148 official matches.
Rank Name Caps Goals First cap Latest cap
1 Younis Mahmoud 148 57 19 July 2002 29 March 2016
2 Hussein Saeed 137 78 5 September 1976 3 March 1990
3 Alaa Abdul-Zahra 126 17 8 June 2007 11 November 2021
4 Adnan Dirjal 121 8 11 December 1978 3 March 1990
Ahmed Radhi 121 62 21 February 1982 20 June 1997
6 Ahmed Ibrahim 118 5 11 November 2010 29 March 2022
7 Nashat Akram 113 17 5 October 2001 4 June 2013
Hawar Mulla Mohammed 113 20 31 August 2001 12 June 2012
Ali Rehema 113 2 8 June 2005 29 March 2016
10 Mahdi Karim 110 11 12 October 2001 28 February 2018

Top goalscorers

 
Hussein Saeed is Iraq's all-time leading goalscorer, having scored 78 goals in 137 official matches.
Rank Player Goals Caps Ratio Career
1 Hussein Saeed 78 137 0.57 1976–1990
2 Ahmed Radhi 62 121 0.51 1982–1997
3 Younis Mahmoud 57 148 0.39 2002–2016
4 Ali Kadhim 35 82 0.43 1970–1980
5 Falah Hassan 29 103 0.28 1970–1986
6 Emad Mohammed 27 103 0.26 2001–2012
7 Razzaq Farhan 25 62 0.4 1998–2007
8 Laith Hussein 21 80 0.26 1986–2002
9 Hawar Mulla Mohammed 20 113 0.18 2001–2012
10 Husham Mohammed 19 43 0.44 1998–2004

Competitive record

For the all-time record of the national team against opposing nations, see Iraq national football team records and statistics.
Overview
Event 1st place 2nd place 3rd place 4th place
FIFA World Cup 0 0 0 0
FIFA Confederations Cup 0 0 0 0
AFC Asian Cup 1 0 0 2
Total 1 0 0 2

FIFA World Cup

Main article: Iraq at the FIFA World Cup
FIFA World Cup finals record FIFA World Cup qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
  1930 to   1970 did not enter did not enter
  1974 did not qualify 6 3 2 1 11 6
  1978 Withdrew Withdrew
  1982 did not qualify 4 3 0 1 5 2
  1986 Group stage 23rd 3 0 0 3 1 4 Squad 10 7 1 2 25 11
  1990 did not qualify 6 3 2 1 11 5
  1994 13 7 4 2 37 13
  1998 4 2 0 2 14 8
   2002 14 6 3 5 37 15
  2006 6 3 2 1 17 7
  2010 8 3 2 3 11 6
  2014 16 7 3 6 20 12
  2018 16 6 5 5 24 18
  2022 18 6 8 4 20 16
      2026 TBD TBD
Total Best: Group stage 1/22 3 0 0 3 1 4 — 121 56 32 33 232 119

AFC Asian Cup

Main article: Iraq at the AFC Asian Cup
AFC Asian Cup finals record AFC Asian Cup qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
  1956 to   1968 Not an AFC member Not an AFC member
  1972 Group stage 6th 3 0 2 1 1 4 Squad 6 5 1 0 13 2
  1976 Fourth place 4th 4 1 0 3 3 6 Squad 6 5 1 0 14 3
  1980 to   1988 Withdrew Withdrew
  1992 Banned due to Gulf War Banned due to Gulf War
  1996 Quarter-finals 6th 4 2 0 2 6 4 Squad 2 2 0 0 4 0
  2000 Quarter-finals 7th 4 1 1 2 5 7 Squad 3 3 0 0 9 2
  2004 Quarter-finals 8th 4 2 0 2 5 7 Squad 6 4 1 1 16 4
     2007 Champions 1st 6 3 3 0 7 2 Squad 6 3 2 1 12 8
  2011 Quarter-finals 8th 4 2 0 2 3 3 Squad Qualified as defending champions
  2015 Fourth place 4th 6 2 1 3 8 9 Squad 6 3 0 3 7 6
  2019 Round of 16 11th 4 2 1 1 6 3 Squad 6 3 3 0 13 6
  2023 qualified 8 5 2 1 14 4
  2027 to be determined to be determined
Total 1 Title 9/18 39 15 8 16 44 45 — 49 33 10 6 102 36
  Champions    Runners-up    Third place    Fourth place
*Draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicks.

FIFA Confederations Cup

FIFA Confederations Cup record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad
  1992 to   1995 did not enter
  1997 to   2005 did not qualify
  2009 Group stage 7th 3 0 2 1 0 1 Squad
  2013 to   2017 did not qualify
Total Best: Group stage 1/10 3 0 2 1 0 1 —

Summer Olympics

Main article: Football at the Summer Olympics
Summer Olympics record Qualification record
Year Round Position Pld W D L GF GA Squad Pld W D L GF GA
  1900 to   1956 did not enter did not enter
  1960 did not qualify 4 2 0 2 14 10
  1964 2 0 1 1 0 4
  1968 4 1 1 2 7 5
  1972 5 3 0 2 4 5
  1976 4 2 0 2 6 4
  1980 Quarter-finals 8th 4 1 2 1 4 5 Squad 5 3 1 1 10 3
  1984 Group stage 14th 3 0 1 2 3 6 Squad 8 4 3 1 10 7
  1988 Group stage 10th 3 1 1 1 5 4 Squad 8 6 1 1 14 6
  1992–present See Iraq national under-23 football team See Iraq national under-23 football team
Total Best: Quarter-finals 3/19 10 2 4 4 12 15 — 40 21 7 12 65 44

Asian Games

Main article: Football at the Asian Games
Asian Games record
Year Round Position Pld W D* L GF GA Squad
  1951 to   1970 did not enter
  1974 Second round 5th 6 3 2 1 6 2 Squad
  1978 Fourth place 4th 7 4 1 2 11 4 Squad
  1982 Gold medalists 1st 6 5 0 1 11 2 Squad
  1986 Quarter-finals 6th 5 3 1 1 13 5 Squad
  1990 to   1998 Banned due to Gulf War
  2002–present See Iraq national under-23 football team
Total 1 Title 4/13 24 15 4 5 41 13 —

Regional competitions

WAFF Championship

WAFF Championship record
Year Result Pld W D* L GF GA Squad
  2000 Third place 5 3 2 0 10 2 Squad
  2002 Champions 4 3 1 0 6 2 Squad
  2004 Fourth place 4 1 0 3 4 8 Squad
  2007 Runners-up 4 2 1 1 5 2 Squad
  2008 Withdrew
  2010 Semi-finals 3 2 0 1 6 3 Squad
  2012 Runners-up 4 2 1 1 4 2 Squad
  2013 Group stage 2 0 2 0 0 0 Squad
  2019 Runners-up 5 3 1 1 5 3 Squad
  2023 TBD 0 0 0 0 0 0 Squad
Total 1 Title 31 16 8 7 40 22 —

FIFA Arab Cup

FIFA Arab Cup record
Year Result Pld W D* L GF GA Squad
  1963 did not enter
  1964 Champions 4 3 1 0 6 2 Squad
  1966 Champions 6 5 1 0 20 5 Squad
  1985 Champions 4(1) 3 1 0(1) 7(2) 3(3) Squad
  1988 Champions 6 2 4 0 7 2 Squad
  1992 to   2002 Banned due to Gulf War
  2012 Third place 5 3 1 1 6 4 Squad
  2021 Group stage 3 0 2 1 1 4 Squad
Total 4 Titles 28(1) 16 10 2(1) 47(2) 20(3) (Qualifiers
in brackets)

Arabian Gulf Cup

Arabian Gulf Cup record
Year Result Pld W D* L GF GA Squad
  1970 to   1974 did not enter
  1976 Runners-up 7 4 2 1 23 8 Squad
  1979 Champions 6 6 0 0 23 1 Squad
  1982 Withdrew 4 3 1 0 8 2 Squad
  1984 Champions 7 4 2 1 12 5 Squad
  1986 Sixth place 6 1 3 2 8 9 Squad
  1988 Champions 6 4 2 0 8 1 Squad
  1990 Withdrew 3 1 2 0 4 3 Squad
  1992 to   2003–04 Banned due to Gulf War
  2004 Group stage 3 0 2 1 5 7 Squad
  2007 Group stage 3 1 1 1 2 2 Squad
  2009 Group stage 3 0 1 2 2 8 Squad
  2010 Semi-finals 4 1 3 0 5 4 Squad
  2013 Runners-up 5 3 1 1 7 3 Squad
  2014 Group stage 3 0 1 2 1 4 Squad
  2017–18 Semi-finals 4 2 2 0 6 2 Squad
  2019 Semi-finals 4 2 2 0 6 3 Squad
  2023 Champions 5 4 1 0 12 3 Squad
Total 4 Titles 73 37 25 11 132 64 —

West Asian Games

West Asian Games record
Year Result Pld W D* L GF GA
  1997 to   2002 did not enter
  2005 Gold medalists 4 3 1 0 13 3
Total 1 Title 4 3 1 0 13 3

Pan Arab Games

Pan Arab Games record
Year Result Pld W D* L GF GA Squad
  1953 did not enter
  1957 Group stage 3 1 1 1 8 8 Squad
  1961 did not enter
  1965 Group stage 4 1 2 1 7 2 Squad
  1976 did not enter
  1985 Gold medalists 4 4 0 0 7 1 Squad
  1997 did not enter
  1999 Silver medalists 7 4 1 2 17 9 Squad
  2007 did not enter
  2011 Group stage 2 0 1 1 0 3 Squad
Total 1 Title 20 10 5 5 39 23 —

Minor tournaments