Iraq national football team

Iraq
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s)Usood al-Rafidayn
(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 59 Increase 4 (15 February 2024)
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; 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
Appearances10 (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)
Websitesocceriraq.net

The Iraq national football team (Arabic: منتخب الْعِرَاق لِكُرَةُ الْقَدَم) 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 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 is known for its passionate football fans and the national team is also seen as a symbol of hope and unity for Iraqi people. 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

Early years

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

On 8 October 1948, the Iraq Football Association was founded. The Iraq FA joined FIFA in 1950 and in April 1951, Iraq played their first match: a 5–0 win over the Civil Cantonment (CC) team of Habbaniyah. Iraq's first ever official international game came in the opening game of the 1957 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. One of the members of Iraq's first national team was Youra Eshaya, who in 1954 became the first Iraqi footballer to play in England for Bristol Rovers Colts.[citation needed]

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.

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). 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 Arab Games.[citation needed]

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[citation needed]

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.[citation needed]

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.[citation needed]

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.

1994 FIFA World Cup qualification

In 1993, Iraq participated in qualifiers for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. Grouped with China, Yemen, Jordan and Pakistan in the first stage, Iraq proved to be too strong for the rest, with the team only failing to win twice, an draw to Jordan and loss to China.[citation needed]

In the final round, Iraq was grouped with Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Japan, Iran and North Korea.[citation needed] On the first matchday, Iraq lost 3–2 to North Korea in a dramatic way, being 2–0 ahead in the second half. After an Iraqi player was sent off, North Korea pulled back in the 67th minute, equalized in the 77th minute and scored the winner in the 82nd minute. They then tied 2–2 with South Korea. and then defeated Iran 2–1 by goals of Ahmed Radhi and Alaa Kadhim.

Iraq missed 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. The loss against North Korea proved to be the difference with the other teams, as North Korea lost their other 4 matches and finished bottom of the group.[citation needed]

1996 AFC Asian Cup

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.[citation needed]

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.

2000s – Second Golden Generation

The 2000s was considered to be the rebirth of a new Iraqi football golden generation. However, Iraq had a rocky beginning.

2000 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq 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.[citation needed]

2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

Iraq reached the final round of 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification for the first time since 1994 but lost five of their eight second-round games and therefore failed to make the finals.[citation needed]

Iraq won their first ever WAFF Championship in 2002, beating Jordan 3–2 in the final after extra time.[citation needed]

2004 AFC Asian Cup

In 2004, Iraq stunned Asia by beating Saudi Arabia, and reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup before getting knocked out by China.

2006 FIFA World Cup qualification

In the same year they were knocked out at the second round of 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers by Uzbekistan.[citation needed]

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 after a controversial defeat to Saudi Arabia. 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.[citation needed]

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 won the 2000 AFC Youth Championship, finished fourth at the 2004 Olympic Games and 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'.

Vieira stated during the final that he would resign after the Asian Cup. He was replaced by Egil Olsen in September 2007.

2010 FIFA World Cup qualification

Under Egil Olsen, Iraq advanced from the first round by beating Pakistan 7-0 on aggregate. Then they were drawn with Australia, China, and Qatar for the second round. On the first matchday, Iraq tied China. As a consequence, Olsen was sacked and replaced by Adnan Hamad.

The next two matches saw Iraq lose twice to Qatar and Australia. However, Iraq bounced back with an 1-0 win on Australia and 2-1 win against China.

On 26 May 2008, FIFA decided to suspend Iraq from all international competitions after the Iraq Football Association was disbanded by the government on 20 May 2008. The suspension was provisionally and conditionally lifted on 29 May 2008.

Iraq needed 1 point to advance to the final stage on the last matchday, but 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.

Qatar fielded ineligible player Emerson in the 2–0 defeat to Iraq on 26 March 2008, prompting FIFA to controversially suspend him but clear Qatar of any wrongdoing, in direct contradiction to its decisions against Singapore. Iraq appealed the decision to the Court of Arbitration for Sport but it was rejected by the CAS, saying that Iraq submitted documents and appeal fees too late.

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

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; the suspension was lifted on 19 March 2010.

2010s – Ups and downs

The Iraqi national team pose ahead of their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match against China in Doha.

2011 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq qualified automatically for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. They were drawn against Iran, North Korea and UAE in Group D. After a 2–1 loss against Iran, and 1–0 win against UAE, Iraq went into the match against North Korea needing only a draw to progress. Iraq won 1–0 and advanced to the quarterfinals as group runners-up. On 23 January, Iraq lost to Australia, 1–0, in the quarterfinal. The match went into extra time with Harry Kewell heading in a goal in the 117th minute just inside the 18-yard box.[citation needed]

2014 FIFA World Cup qualification

Under coach Wolfgang Sidka, Iraq were drawn into the second round of qualifiers where they faced Yemen. Iraq defeated Yemen 2–0 in Arbil on 23 July before drawing 0–0 in Al Ain five days later. Iraq advanced to the third round of qualifiers where they were grouped with Jordan, China and Singapore. The IFA announced it would not renew Wolfgang Sidka's contract on 2 August 2011. On 29 August 2011, Brazilian legend Zico signed a one-year contract to become the new coach of Iraq.

Iraq topped Group A with 15 points, and in the final qualification stage was drawn with Jordan, Japan, Australia and Oman. Iraq started with 1–1 draws against Jordan away and Oman at home. After their slow start, Iraq lost 1–0 to Japan away and lost a crucial home match against Australia 2–1, moving them into bottom position with 2 points. On 14 November 2012, Iraq won 1–0 against Jordan in Doha which elevated them to third in Group B, behind Australia on goal difference and ahead of Oman.[citation needed]

On 28 November 2012, Zico resigned as head coach. The Iraqi FA appointed Vladimir Petrović as his replacement on 25 February 2013. However, on 11 June 2013, Iraq lost 1-0 to Japan in Doha and were eliminated from the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

2015 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq were in an 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualifying group alongside Saudi Arabia, China and Indonesia. After losing consecutively against China and Saudi Arabia, Iraq was in danger of missing out on the Asian Cup. They kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup with a 2–0 away win over Indonesia on 19 November 2013, and on the last matchday, Iraq booked their spot with a commanding 3–1 win at the Sharjah Stadium against China. Due to bad results at the 22nd Arabian Gulf Cup, Hakeem Shaker was sacked and the FA appointed Radhi Shenaishil as caretaker coach.

Iraq began the 2015 AFC Asian Cup campaign with a 1–0 win over Jordan. In the next match, Iraq faced Japan and lost the match 0–1. Iraq then beat Palestine 2–0 and qualified to knockout stage as the Group D runner-up. 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. Iraq finished the AFC Asian Cup in fourth place, after losing 2–3 to United Arab Emirates in third/fourth place play-off.

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

For the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Iraq were drawn with Thailand, Vietnam and Chinese Taipei.

In August 2015, Yahya Alwan was appointed coach for the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. After initially starting well with a 5-1 win against Chinese Taipei, two consecutive draws against Thailand and Vietnam left Iraq in real danger of missing out on the final round. On 24 March 2016, Iraq tied 2-2 with Thailand and Alwan was replaced with Abdul-Ghani Shahad. Five days later, he led Iraq to the final round and 2019 AFC Asian Cup by beating Vietnam 1-0.[citation needed]

On 15 April 2016, Radhi Shenaishil became the new coach of Iraq in order to lead the team in the final round. For the final round, Iraq was drawn with Japan, Australia, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Thailand. After seven matchdays, Iraq only managed to collect 4 points by beating Thailand and tie 1-1 with Australia. As a result, Shenaishil was sacked on April 10, 2017.

Basim Qasim was appointed for the remainder of the qualifiers and Iraq finished fifth in the final round of the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification.

2020s

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

2019 AFC Asian Cup

The 2019 Asian Cup draw put Iraq in Group D, with Iran, Vietnam, and Yemen.

On 3 September 2018, Srečko Katanec was appointed as head coach on a three-year contract to lead Iraq in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup and 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Their first match took place on 8 January 2019 against Vietnam and ended in a 3-2 victory for Iraq. Their second match against Yemen on January 12 ended in a 3-0 victory, with goals coming from Mohanad Ali, Bashar Resan, and Alaa Abbas. In their final group game, Iraq faced Iran on January 16, resulting in a 0-0 draw. With these performances, Iraq finished second in Group D and advanced to the knockout stage.

In the Round of 16, Iraq faced Qatar. Despite their efforts, Iraq suffered a 1-0 defeat, with Bassam Al-Rawi scoring the only goal, ending their journey in the tournament. Qatar later won the tournament.

2022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Iraq participated in the second round of the Asian qualifiers. They were placed in Group C alongside Bahrain, Iran, Cambodia, and Hong Kong and reached the final round with five wins from eight matches including a 2–1 victory against Iran.

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.

On 31 July 2021, Dutchman Dick Advocaat was appointed head coach of Iraq. Under Advocaat, Iraq made to a slow start to the final 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.

2023 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq was drawn in Group D, with Japan, Vietnam, and Indonesia. On 15 January 2024, Iraq overcame Indonesia 3–1. Four days later, Iraq created the biggest shock in the tournament, stunning Japan (who had been undefeated in the last 11 matches) by beating them 2–1 in the second group match to ensure first place in the group; both Iraq goals were scored by Aymen Hussein. With the outcome confirmed, Iraq largely rotated their squad on the final match against Vietnam, and ended up triumphant 3–2 to make history by earning a perfect record of nine points. However, Iraq suffered a shock defeat in the Round of 16, losing 2–3 to Jordan to exit the tournament. The result was controversial due to a second yellow card shown to Aymen Hussein by the referee for his celebration after he had scored to take a 2–1 lead.

2026 FIFA World Cup qualification

On 7 November 2022, Jesús Casas was appointed head coach of Iraq to lead the national team until the 2026 FIFA World Cup. 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.

Iraq was placed in Group F of the second round alongside Vietnam, Philippines and Indonesia.

Team image

Kit

The Iraqi national football team's traditional home colour is green, while the away colour is white and the third colour is black. Iraq's kits have previously been manufactured by brands such as Puma, Nike, Diadora, Jack & Jones, Lotto, Peak, Givova, Umbro and Adidas. The current kit supplier is Jako.

Kit suppliers

Kit supplier Period
Umbro 1984–1986, 2007, 2020–2022
Adidas 1986–1994, 2007, 2014, 2024
Puma 1996
Patrick 2000
Jako 2003–2004, 2014–2019, 2022–2023, 2024–present
Jack & Jones 2004–2006
Diadora 2006
Lotto 2006
Peak 2008–2014
Givova 2019–2020

Nickname

Lion in ceramic tile from the Ishtar Gate in Babylon.

The Iraqi team is commonly known as Usood al-Rafidayn (Arabic: أُسُودُ الرَّافِدَيْن), meaning "Lions of Mesopotamia". In ancient Mesopotamia, the Babylonian lion was a symbol of power, impetuosity, ferocity, prestige and dominance. 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. Moreover, the Chaldean royal inscriptions depict the king as a ferocious lion to whom nothing can be resisted. 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.

Iraq kits throughout history have usually featured the flag of Iraq on them, although the coat of arms of Iraq 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. 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, 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.

Rivalries

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. Iraqis have considered any matches against Iran as a must-win encounter and are known to treat it differently from any other football matches. 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. 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. 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. Before that, Iraq was also banned from hosting home games against Saudi Arabia due to the Gulf War. 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.

Another famous chant is "the first goal is coming" ("هسه يجي الاول") which is chanted in the beginning of the match. 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 at Basra International Stadium, but have also used various other stadiums around Iraq. Since 1980, FIFA imposed bans on six occasions that prevented Iraq from hosting competitive international games.

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.

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.

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.

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. The 2018 AFC Cup Final was hosted in Basra, and in the summer of 2019, Iraq hosted the 2019 WAFF Championship.

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

In 2023, Iraq hosted the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup, which was the first time they had hosted the tournament since 1979. Iraq resumed playing official games at home for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification, beating Indonesia 5–1 in Basra.

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

 Win  Draw  Loss  Fixture

2023

16 June 2023 Friendly Colombia  1–0  Iraq Valencia, Spain
21:00 UTC+2 Report Stadium: Mestalla Stadium
Referee: Miguel Nogueira (Portugal)
16 November 2023 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq  5–1  Indonesia Basra, Iraq
17:45 UTC+3
Report
Stadium: Basra International Stadium
Attendance: 64,447
Referee: Ahmed Eisa (United Arab Emirates)
21 November 2023 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Vietnam  0–1  Iraq Hanoi, Vietnam
15:00 UTC+3
Stadium: Mỹ Đình National Stadium
Referee: Abdulla Al-Marri (Qatar)

2024

6 January 2024 Friendly South Korea  1–0  Iraq Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
17:00 UTC+4 Report Stadium: New York University Stadium
Attendance: 100
Referee: Yahya Ali Al-Mulla (United Arab Emirates)
15 January 2024 2023 AFC Asian Cup GS Indonesia  1–3  Iraq Al Rayyan, Qatar
17:30 UTC+3 Report
Stadium: Ahmad bin Ali Stadium
Attendance: 16,532
Referee: Ilgiz Tantashev (Uzbekistan)
19 January 2024 2023 AFC Asian Cup GS Iraq  2–1  Japan Al Rayyan, Qatar
14:30 UTC+3
Report
Stadium: Education City Stadium
Attendance: 38,663
Referee: Khalid Al-Turais (Saudi Arabia)
24 January 2024 2023 AFC Asian Cup GS Iraq  3–2  Vietnam Al Rayyan, Qatar
14:30 UTC+3
Report Stadium: Jassim bin Hamad Stadium
Attendance: 8,932
Referee: Nazmi Nasaruddin (Malaysia)
29 January 2024 2023 AFC Asian Cup R16 Iraq  2–3  Jordan Al Rayyan, Qatar
14:30 UTC+3
Report
Stadium: Khalifa International Stadium
Attendance: 35,814
Referee: Alireza Faghani (Australia)
6 June 2024 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Indonesia  v  Iraq Indonesia
--:-- UTC+3 Stadium: TBA
11 June 2024 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq  v  Vietnam Iraq
--:-- UTC+3 Stadium: TBA

All-time results

As of 29 January 2024

Coaching staff

As of 6 November 2022.

Position Name
Head coach Spain Jesús Casas
Assistant coaches Spain Alejandro Varela
Spain Salva Romero
Goalkeeping coach Spain David Valle
Fitness coaches Spain Javier Sánchez Benavent
Spain Manuel Salado
Match analyst Spain Pablo Grandes
Interpreter Egypt Mohammad Abdul Hafidh
Team manager Iraq Mahdi Karim
Chief medical officer Iraq Abdul Karim Al-Saffar
Team doctor Iraq Mohammed Nassif
Media coordinator Iraq Mohammed Imad Zubair
Security coordinator Iraq Omar Kadhim
Kitman Iraq Haqi Ibrahim

Players

Current squad

The following 27 players were called up for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification matches in March 2024.

Caps and goals correct as of 29 January 2024, after the game against  Jordan.

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club
12 1GK Jalal Hassan (captain) (1991-05-18) 18 May 1991 (age 32) 79 0 Iraq Al-Zawraa
22 1GK Ahmed Basil (1996-08-19) 19 August 1996 (age 27) 5 0 Iraq Al-Shorta
1 1GK Mohammed Saleh (1995-05-01) 1 May 1995 (age 28) 0 0 Iraq Duhok

15 2DF Dhurgham Ismail (1994-05-23) 23 May 1994 (age 29) 70 4 Bahrain Al-Khaldiya
2 2DF Rebin Sulaka (1992-04-12) 12 April 1992 (age 31) 38 1 South Korea FC Seoul
4 2DF Saad Natiq (1994-03-19) 19 March 1994 (age 30) 37 1 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
21 2DF Frans Putros (1993-07-14) 14 July 1993 (age 30) 17 0 Thailand Port
5 2DF Manaf Younis (1996-11-16) 16 November 1996 (age 27) 15 1 Iraq Al-Shorta
23 2DF Merchas Doski (1999-12-07) 7 December 1999 (age 24) 14 0 Czech Republic Slovácko
3 2DF Hussein Ali (2002-03-01) 1 March 2002 (age 22) 8 0 Netherlands Heerenveen
6 2DF Zaid Tahseen (2001-01-29) 29 January 2001 (age 23) 7 0 Iraq Al-Talaba
26 2DF Mustafa Saadoun (2001-05-25) 25 May 2001 (age 22) 2 0 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya

9 3MF Ahmed Yasin (1991-04-22) 22 April 1991 (age 32) 64 6 Saudi Arabia Al-Kholood
13 3MF Bashar Resan (1996-12-22) 22 December 1996 (age 27) 62 4 Qatar Al-Markhiya
8 3MF Ibrahim Bayesh (2000-05-01) 1 May 2000 (age 23) 51 6 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
7 3MF Safaa Hadi (1998-10-14) 14 October 1998 (age 25) 37 1 Iran Tractor
20 3MF Osama Rashid (1992-01-13) 13 January 1992 (age 32) 34 2 Portugal Vizela
16 3MF Amir Al-Ammari (1997-07-27) 27 July 1997 (age 26) 27 1 Sweden Halmstad
11 3MF Hasan Abdulkareem (1999-04-17) 17 April 1999 (age 24) 13 1 Iraq Al-Zawraa
17 3MF Ali Jasim (2004-01-20) 20 January 2004 (age 20) 9 0 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
14 3MF Zidane Iqbal (2003-04-27) 27 April 2003 (age 20) 8 0 Netherlands Utrecht
19 3MF Youssef Amyn (2003-08-21) 21 August 2003 (age 20) 6 1 Germany Eintracht Braunschweig
24 3MF Montader Madjed (2005-04-24) 24 April 2005 (age 18) 2 0 Sweden Hammarby
27 3MF Louaï El Ani (1997-07-12) 12 July 1997 (age 26) 1 0 Iraq Al-Zawraa
25 3MF Abdul-Razzaq Qasim (2003-02-19) 19 February 2003 (age 21) 0 0 Iraq Al-Shorta

18 4FW Aymen Hussein (1996-03-22) 22 March 1996 (age 27) 73 23 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
10 4FW Mohanad Ali (2000-06-20) 20 June 2000 (age 23) 44 19 Iraq 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 Fahad Talib (1994-10-21) 21 October 1994 (age 29) 19 0 Iran Sanat Naft Abadan 2023 AFC Asian CupINJ
GK Ali Ebadi (2000-02-16) 16 February 2000 (age 24) 0 0 Iraq Al-Kahrabaa Training camp, June 2023PRE

DF Ali Adnan (1993-12-19) 19 December 1993 (age 30) 94 7 Iran Mes Rafsanjan 2023 AFC Asian Cup
DF Ahmed Yahya (1997-05-27) 27 May 1997 (age 26) 6 0 Iraq Al-Shorta 2023 AFC Asian CupINJ
DF Allan Mohideen (1993-11-11) 11 November 1993 (age 30) 3 0 Sweden Utsikten 2023 AFC Asian Cup
DF Mustafa Nadhim (1993-09-23) 23 September 1993 (age 30) 43 4 Iraq Al-Zawraa v.  Vietnam, 21 November 2023
DF Masies Artien (1993-08-08) 8 August 1993 (age 30) 1 0 Netherlands Spakenburg 2023 Jordan International Tournament
DF Ali Faez (1994-09-09) 9 September 1994 (age 29) 48 4 Iraq Al-Talaba v.  Colombia, 16 June 2023
DF Alai Ghasem (2003-02-16) 16 February 2003 (age 21) 8 0 Sweden Göteborg v.  Colombia, 16 June 2023INJ
DF Mohanad Jeahze (1997-04-10) 10 April 1997 (age 26) 4 0 United States D.C. United Training camp, June 2023PRE
DF Hammoud Mishaan (1998-07-25) 25 July 1998 (age 25) 0 0 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Training camp, June 2023PRE

MF Ahmad Allée (1996-04-29) 29 April 1996 (age 27) 4 0 France Rouen 2023 AFC Asian Cup
MF Danilo Al-Saed (1999-02-24) 24 February 1999 (age 25) 3 0 Norway Sandefjord 2023 AFC Asian Cup
MF Akam Hashim (1998-08-16) 16 August 1998 (age 25) 0 0 Iraq Erbil 2023 AFC Asian Cup
MF Amjad Attwan (1997-03-12) 12 March 1997 (age 27) 77 4 Iraq Zakho 2023 AFC Asian CupINJ
MF Hussein Ali Al-Saedi (1996-11-29) 29 November 1996 (age 27) 50 6 Iraq Al-Shorta v.  Vietnam, 21 November 2023
MF Ali Hayder (2005-10-01) 1 October 2005 (age 18) 1 0 England Stoke City Academy 2023 Jordan International Tournament
MF Ahmed Farhan (1999-01-01) 1 January 1999 (age 25) 9 0 Iraq Al-Shorta 2023 Jordan International TournamentINJ
MF André Alsanati (2000-01-06) 6 January 2000 (age 24) 1 0 Sweden Sirius 2023 King's Cup
MF Humam Tariq (1996-02-10) 10 February 1996 (age 28) 75 3 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v.  Colombia, 16 June 2023
MF Sherko Karim (1996-05-25) 25 May 1996 (age 27) 22 1 Iraq Erbil v.  Colombia, 16 June 2023
MF Kevin Yakob (2000-10-10) 10 October 2000 (age 23) 1 0 Denmark AGF v.  Colombia, 16 June 2023
MF Moammel Abdulridha (2000-03-28) 28 March 2000 (age 23) 3 0 Iraq Al-Talaba Training camp, June 2023PRE
MF Bassam Shakir (2000-05-17) 17 May 2000 (age 23) 2 0 Iraq Al-Shorta Training camp, June 2023PRE
MF Sumar Almadjed (1996-03-13) 13 March 1996 (age 28) 0 0 Sweden Helsingborg Training camp, June 2023PRE

FW Ali Al-Hamadi (2002-03-01) 1 March 2002 (age 22) 12 3 England Ipswich Town 2023 AFC Asian Cup
FW Pashang Abdulla (1994-05-29) 29 May 1994 (age 29) 3 0 Sweden Degerfors v.  Vietnam, 21 November 2023
FW Amin Al-Hamawi (2003-12-17) 17 December 2003 (age 20) 2 0 Sweden Helsingborg 2023 King's Cup
FW Alaa Abbas (1997-07-27) 27 July 1997 (age 26) 27 4 Iraq Al-Zawraa Training camp, June 2023PRE

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
INI Player was initially named in the squad, but was forced to withdraw before playing

Records

As of 29 January 2024.
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 Player Caps Goals Career
1 Younis Mahmoud 148 57 2002–2016
2 Hussein Saeed 137 78 1976–1990
3 Alaa Abdul-Zahra 126 17 2007–2021
4 Adnan Dirjal 121 8 1978–1990
Ahmed Radhi 121 62 1982–1997
6 Ahmed Ibrahim 118 5 2010–2022
7 Hawar Mulla Mohammed 113 20 2001–2012
Nashat Akram 113 17 2001–2013
Ali Rehema 113 2 2005–2016
10 Mahdi Karim 110 11 2001–2018

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 Aymen Hussein 23 73 0.32 2015–present
9 Laith Hussein 21 80 0.26 1986–2002
10 Hawar Mulla Mohammed 20 113 0.18 2001–2012

Competitive record

FIFA World Cup

AFC Asian Cup

FIFA Confederations Cup

Summer Olympics

Asian Games

Regional competitions

WAFF Championship

FIFA Arab Cup

Arabian Gulf Cup

West Asian Games

Arab Games

Minor tournaments


Head-to-head record

The list shown below shows the Iraq national football team all−time international record against opposing nations.

Key
 Positive balance (more wins than losses)
 Neutral balance (as many wins as losses)
 Negative balance (more losses than wins)

All friendly and international matches have been approved, except for Olympic matches. A-level matches

Iraq national football team head-to-head records
Team Confederation First GP W D L GF GA GD
 Afghanistan AFC 1975 2 2 0 0 7 1 +6
 Algeria CAF 1973 7 3 2 1 9 3 +6
 Argentina CONMEBOL 2018 1 0 0 1 0 4 −4
 Australia AFC 1973 11 2 2 7 8 14 −6
 Azerbaijan UEFA 2009 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1
 Bahrain AFC 1966 32 13 14 5 46 26 +20
 Belgium UEFA 1986 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1
 Bolivia CONMEBOL 2018 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
 Botswana CAF 2012 1 0 1 0 1 1 0
 Brazil CONMEBOL 2012 1 0 0 1 0 6 −6
 Cambodia AFC 2019 2 2 0 0 8 1 +7
 Chile CONMEBOL 2013 1 0 0 1 0 6 −6
 China AFC 1974 17 9 2 6 20 18 +2
 Chinese Taipei AFC 1974 5 5 0 0 18 3 +15
 Colombia CONMEBOL 2023 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1
 Cyprus UEFA 2005 1 0 0 1 1 2 −1
 DR Congo CAF 2015 2 2 0 0 3 1 +2
 Ecuador CONMEBOL 2022 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
 Egypt CAF 1972 7 0 3 4 1 7 −6
 Estonia UEFA 1999 1 0 1 0 1 1 0
 Ethiopia CAF 1992 1 1 0 0 13 0 +13
 Finland UEFA 1979 2 2 0 0 3 0 +3
 Guinea CAF 1989 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1
 Hong Kong AFC 2019 2 2 0 0 3 0 +3
 India AFC 1974 7 4 3 0 13 4 +9
 Indonesia AFC 1973 9 8 1 0 25 5 +20
 Iran AFC 1962 28 6 6 16 21 37 −16
 Japan AFC 1978 14 4 3 7 12 20 −8
 Jordan AFC 1964 51 27 13 11 82 52 +30
 Kazakhstan UEFA 1997 4 0 2 2 4 7 −3
 Kenya CAF 2003 2 2 0 0 4 1 +2
 Kyrgyzstan AFC 1999 2 2 0 0 9 1 +8
 Kuwait AFC 1964 35 17 10 8 49 35 +14
 Liberia CAF 2013 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1
 Lebanon AFC 1959 18 9 8 1 24 9 +15
 Libya CAF 1964 11 7 3 1 17 6 +11
 Macau AFC 2001 2 2 0 0 13 0 +13
 Malaysia AFC 1974 7 4 3 0 12 3 +9
 Mauritania CAF 1985 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2
 Mexico CONCACAF 1986 2 0 0 2 0 5 −5
 Moldova UEFA 1992 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1
 Morocco CAF 1966 7 2 4 1 6 3 +3
 Myanmar AFC 2003 4 4 0 0 13 0 +7
 North Korea AFC 1974 9 6 1 2 11 5 +6
   Nepal AFC 1982 4 4 0 0 22 5 +17
 New Zealand OFC 1973 3 2 1 0 6 0 +6
 Oman AFC 1976 28 13 9 6 46 25 +21
 Pakistan AFC 1969 9 7 1 1 40 6 +34
 Paraguay CONMEBOL 1986 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1
 Palestine AFC 2002 16 13 3 0 37 6 +31
 Peru CONMEBOL 2014 1 0 0 1 0 2 −2
 Philippines AFC 2024 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
 Poland UEFA 1970 5 1 2 2 3 7 −4
 Qatar AFC 1976 33 15 10 8 41 31 +10
 Romania UEFA 1970 2 0 2 0 1 1 0
 Russia UEFA 2023 1 0 0 1 0 2 –2
 Saudi Arabia AFC 1976 36 17 9 10 55 31 +24
 Sierra Leone CAF 2012 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1
 Singapore AFC 1978 6 5 0 1 20 5 +15
 South Africa CAF 2009 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
 South Korea AFC 1972 20 1 12 7 13 24 −11
 Spain UEFA 2009 1 0 0 1 0 1 −1
 Sudan CAF 2012 2 0 2 0 3 3 0
 Syria AFC 1966 33 17 11 5 46 25 +20
 Tajikistan AFC 1999 2 1 1 0 2 1 +1
 Thailand AFC 1972 18 10 6 2 47 20 +27
 Trinidad and Tobago CONCACAF 1972 1 0 0 1 0 2 −2
 Tunisia CAF 1957 7 0 3 4 4 10 −6
 Turkey UEFA 1969 3 0 1 2 1 8 –7
 Turkmenistan AFC 1999 2 2 0 0 6 2 +4
 Uganda CAF 1977 3 1 2 0 3 2 +1
 United Arab Emirates AFC 1973 30 11 12 7 43 29 +14
 Uzbekistan AFC 1997 11 3 3 5 8 10 -2
 Vietnam AFC 2007 6 5 1 0 11 5 +6
 Yemen AFC 1993 14 11 3 0 35 7 +28
 Zambia CAF 2022 1 1 0 0 3 1 +2
Total 726 342 206 178 1162 674 +488
Last match updated was against  Jordan Jordan on 29 January 2024.


FIFA Rankings

Last update was on 26 November 2023
Source:

Best Ranking   Worst Ranking   Best Mover   Worst Mover  

Iraq's FIFA World Ranking
Rank Year Games
Played
Best Worst
Rank Move Rank Move
63 2023 14 63 Increase 5 70 Decrease 2
68 2022 11 68 Increase 2 74 Decrease 0
75 2021 17 68 Increase 1 75 Decrease 3
69 2020 2 69 Increase 1 70 Decrease 0
70 2019 22 70 Increase 8 80 Decrease 2
88 2018 12 82 Increase 2 91 Decrease 5
79 2017 14 79 Increase 17 122 Decrease 3
119 2016 12 87 Increase 15 128 Decrease 15
89 2015 16 82 Increase 20 114 Decrease 11
103 2014 11 81 Increase 15 115 Decrease 23
110 2013 19 89 Increase 3 110 Decrease 6
92 2012 20 70 Increase 6 97 Decrease 17
78 2011 20 78 Increase 16 109 Decrease 13
100 2010 15 80 Increase 13 107 Decrease 24
88 2009 13 77 Increase 9 100 Decrease 17
72 2008 12 58 Increase 15 77 Decrease 18
68 2007 20 64 Increase 16 84 Decrease 5
83 2006 14 52 Increase 5 92 Decrease 36
54 2005 10 44 Increase 20 74 Decrease 11
44 2004 21 39 Increase 3 45 Decrease 6
43 2003 12 43 Increase 23 75 Decrease 13
53 2002 10 50 Increase 9 72 Decrease 3
72 2001 18 69 Increase 16 85 Decrease 4
79 2000 11 78 Increase 9 89 Decrease 8
78 1999 13 78 Increase 16 108 Decrease 5
94 1998 1 70 Increase 7 101 Decrease 13
68 1997 9 68 Increase 13 98 Decrease 2
98 1996 7 98 Increase 31 139 Decrease 15
110 1995 3 76 Increase 26 110 Decrease 28
88 1994 0 61 Increase 4 88 Decrease 8
65 1993 15 57 Increase 25 66 Decrease 5

Honours

Iraq's starting line-up against Saudi Arabia in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup Final, a match they won 1–0.

Continental

Regional

Exhibition

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-03-20 13:03 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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