Iraq national football team facts for kids

The Iraq national football team (منتخب الْعِرَاق لِكُرَةُ الْقَدَم), also known as The Lions of Mesopotamia, represents Iraq in men's international football. The team is managed by the Iraq Football Association (IFA). Their main home stadium is the Basra International Stadium.

Iraq has played in one FIFA World Cup in 1986. They are one of only eight teams from the AFC to have won the AFC Asian Cup, which they did in 2007. This was a huge achievement, especially because they faced tough conditions and didn't have much time to prepare. They beat strong teams like Australia, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia on their way to victory.

Iraq is the most successful team in the Arab Cup, winning it four times. They have also won the Arabian Gulf Cup four times and the WAFF Championship once. Iraqi football fans are very passionate, and the national team is a symbol of hope and togetherness for the people of Iraq. The team reached its highest ever FIFA World Ranking of 39th in October 2004.

Quick facts for kids
Iraq

Nickname(s)	Usood al-Rafidayn (Lions of Mesopotamia)
Association	Iraq Football Association (IFA)
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation	WAFF (West Asia)
Head coach	Graham Arnold
Captain	Jalal Hassan
Most caps	Younis Mahmoud (148)
Top scorer	Hussein Saeed (78)
Home stadium	Basra International Stadium
FIFA code	IRQ
First colours Second colours
FIFA ranking
Current	80 8 (7 February 2019)
Highest	39 (6 October 2004)
Lowest	139 (3 July 1996)
Elo ranking
Current	62 4 (3 March 2019)
Highest	24 (3 December 1982)
Lowest	4 (6 October 2016)
First international
Morocco 3–5 Iraq  (Beirut, Lebanon; 19 October 1957)
Biggest win
Iraq 26–0 Ethiopia  (Irbid, Jordan; 18 August 1992)
Biggest defeat
Turkey 5–0 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
Appearances	1 (first in 1986)
Best result	Group stage (1986)
Asian Cup
Appearances	10 (first in 1972)
Best result	Champions (2007)
Arab Cup
Appearances	6 (first in 1964)
Best result	Champions (1964, 1966, 1985, 1988)
WAFF Championship
Appearances	8 (first in 2000)
Best result	Champions (2002)
Confederations Cup
Appearances	1 (first in 2009)
Best result	Group stage (2009)
Medal record AFC Asian Cup Gold 2007 Indonesia/Malaysia /Thailand/Vietnam Team Asian Games Gold 1982 New Delhi Team WAFF Championship Gold 2002 Syria Team Silver 2007 Jordan Team Silver 2012 Kuwait Team Silver 2019 Iraq Team Bronze 2000 Jordan Team Arab Cup Gold 1964 Kuwait Team Gold 1966 Iraq Team Gold 1985 Saudi Arabia Team Gold 1988 Jordan Team Bronze 2012 Saudi Arabia Team Arabian Gulf Cup Gold 1979 Iraq Team Gold 1984 Oman Team Gold 1988 Saudi Arabia Team Gold 2023 Iraq Team Silver 1976 Qatar Team Silver 2013 Bahrain Team West Asian Games Gold 2005 Doha Team Arab Games Gold 1985 Rabat Team Silver 1999 Amman Team

History of Iraqi Football

Early Years and First Trophies

The Iraq Football Association was started on October 8, 1948. Iraq joined FIFA in 1950. Their first unofficial match was a 5–0 win in April 1951. Iraq's first official international game was a 3–3 draw against Morocco at the 1957 Arab Games. Famous players like Ammo Baba and Youra Eshaya scored goals in that game. Youra Eshaya was even the first Iraqi player to play football in England!

The Iraqi national football team in 1951.

In 1962, Iraq got its first foreign coach, Romanian Cornel Drăgușin. Iraq won its first trophy in 1964, winning the Arab Cup. They won it again in 1966, beating Syria 2–1 in the final in Baghdad.

The 1970s: Growing on the Asian Stage

In 1972, Iraq played in their first ever AFC Asian Cup. They didn't win any games in that tournament. In 1973, Iraq started their first FIFA World Cup qualifying journey. They finished second in their group, just missing out on the next round. During the rest of the 1970s, Iraq played in the Asian Games, reached the final of the Arabian Gulf Cup in 1976, and finished fourth in the AFC Asian Cup in 1976. They also hosted and won the Arabian Gulf Cup in 1979. After 1976, Iraq didn't play in the Asian Cup for 20 years.

The 1980s: Iraq's Golden Era

The 1980s were a very successful time for Iraqi football. In 1982, they won the gold medal at the Asian Games. They also won the Arabian Gulf Cup in 1984, the 1985 Arab Cup in 1985, and another gold medal at the Arab Games that same year.

Playing in the 1986 FIFA World Cup

Iraq qualified for the 1986 FIFA World Cup for the first time! They played against Qatar and Jordan in the first round of qualifiers and won their group. Then, they beat UAE in a close match. In the final round, they defeated Syria to earn their spot in the World Cup.

At the World Cup, Iraq played well against Paraguay, losing only 1–0. In their second game, Ahmed Radhi scored Iraq's first ever World Cup goal against Belgium, even though Iraq had fewer players on the field. They lost that game 2–1. In their last game, they lost 1–0 to host nation Mexico and were eliminated.

After the World Cup, Iraq won the 1988 Arabian Gulf Cup and the 1988 Arab Cup. Because of all these wins and their World Cup appearance, many people call the 1980s the "golden era" of Iraqi football.

The 1990s: A Difficult Time

After the Gulf War in 1990, Iraq was not allowed to play in many Asian and Arab competitions. However, they could still play in the Asian Cup and World Cup qualifiers.

1994 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

In 1993, Iraq tried to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. They were very strong in the first stage, winning most of their games. In the final round, Iraq was in a tough group. They narrowly missed out on a World Cup spot. In their last game, they drew 2–2 with Japan, which stopped Japan from qualifying. This match is still remembered in Japan as the "Agony of Doha."

1996 AFC Asian Cup and Challenges

Iraq played in the 1996 AFC Asian Cup, their first Asian Cup in 20 years. They reached the quarter-finals but lost to the United Arab Emirates. In 1996, Iraq's FIFA ranking dropped to 139th, their lowest ever, partly because they couldn't play in many tournaments.

This time was known as 'The Dark Era' because the head of the Iraqi Football Association treated players very badly if they didn't perform well.

The 2000s: A New Golden Generation Emerges

The 2000s brought a new wave of talented Iraqi footballers.

Asian Cup and WAFF Championship Success

Iraq played in the 2000 AFC Asian Cup and reached the quarter-finals again, losing to Japan. In 2002, Iraq won their first ever WAFF Championship, beating Jordan 3–2 in the final. In 2004, they reached the Asian Cup quarter-finals once more.

Iraq reached their highest FIFA ranking of 39th in October 2004. In 2005, they won the gold medal at the West Asian Games.

Winning the 2007 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq playing against Australia in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup. Iraq won this game 3–1 and went on to win the cup.

In July 2007, Iraq started their 2007 AFC Asian Cup journey. Many players on the team had done well in youth tournaments and the 2004 Olympics. The team faced many challenges, including poor training facilities and security issues in Iraq, which meant they couldn't play games at home.

Despite these difficulties, they drew 1–1 with Thailand and then famously beat favorites Australia 3–1. After a draw with Oman, they reached the quarter-finals. Two goals from Younis Mahmoud helped them beat Vietnam and reach the semi-finals. They then beat South Korea in a penalty shootout.

After the semi-final win, a sad event occurred where some celebrating fans were hurt. The team almost pulled out of the final, but they decided to play in honor of those affected. They went on to beat Saudi Arabia 1–0 in the final, with Younis Mahmoud scoring the winning goal. This victory is seen as one of the biggest upsets in football history, a true "fairytale" for a country facing many challenges.

2009 FIFA Confederations Cup

In 2009, Iraq played in their second ever FIFA tournament, the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, because they won the 2007 Asian Cup. They drew 0–0 with hosts South Africa and then lost 1–0 to Spain. They drew their last game 0–0 with New Zealand and were eliminated.

The 2010s: Mixed Results

The Iraqi national team before a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match.

2011 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq automatically qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. They won two group games and reached the quarter-finals, where they lost 1–0 to Australia in extra time.

2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Iraq did well in the early stages of the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, topping their group. In the final stage, they were in a tough group with Japan and Australia. They didn't qualify for the World Cup this time.

2015 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq qualified for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup after some close matches. They started with a win against Jordan. After losing to Japan, they beat Palestine to reach the knockout stage. They had an exciting quarter-final match against Iran, winning 7–6 on penalties after a 3–3 draw. They lost to South Korea in the semi-finals and finished fourth after losing to United Arab Emirates in the third-place play-off.

2019 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq played in the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. They won their first two group games against Vietnam and Yemen, and then drew 0–0 with Iran. They finished second in their group. In the Round of 16, they lost 1–0 to Qatar, who went on to win the tournament.

The Iraqi national team before their 2019 AFC Asian Cup match against Iran.

The 2020s: Recent Challenges and Victories

2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Iraq played in the second round of Asian qualifiers for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They did well, winning five out of eight matches, including a 2–1 victory against Iran, and reached the final round.

Between 2019 and 2021, Iraq had a great run, going 19 matches without losing. Their FIFA ranking improved from 89th to 68th during this time. However, the team faced some changes in coaching staff.

2023 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq was in Group D for the 2023 AFC Asian Cup. On January 15, 2024, they beat Indonesia 3–1. Four days later, they caused a big surprise by beating Japan 2–1, who had been undefeated in their last 11 matches. This win secured first place in their group. Iraq then won their final group game against Vietnam 3–2, making history with a perfect nine points. However, they had a surprising 3–2 loss to Jordan in the Round of 16. This match was controversial because a key Iraqi player, Aymen Hussein, received a second yellow card for his celebration after scoring.

2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers

Jesús Casas became Iraq's head coach in November 2022. Under his leadership, Iraq hosted and won the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup in 2023, beating Oman 3–2 in the final.

Iraq started strong in the second round of 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, winning four games in a row against Indonesia, Vietnam, and twice against Philippines. This helped them move to the next round and also qualify for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

In the third round of World Cup qualification, Iraq was in Group B. They had a mixed performance with some wins, draws, and losses. After a 2–1 loss to Palestine in March 2025, Coach Casas was replaced by Australian coach Graham Arnold. Arnold took over for the final matches of the third round.

Team Identity

Kit Colors

The Iraqi national football team usually wears green for their home games. Their away kit is white, and their third kit is black. Over the years, different brands like Puma, Nike, and Adidas have made their kits. Currently, Jako is their kit supplier.

Team Nickname

A lion from the Ishtar Gate in Babylon.

The Iraqi team is famously called Usood al-Rafidayn, which means "Lions of Mesopotamia". In ancient Mesopotamia, lions were a symbol of strength and power. This can be seen in the old sculptures of lions in Babylon, especially on the Ishtar Gate. These lion images were meant to show the king's power and strength. The idea was that these symbols would bring good qualities to the people who owned them.

Team Logo

Iraq's football kits have often featured the flag of Iraq. Sometimes, they have also used the coat of arms of Iraq or the Iraq Football Association logo. The national team has had its own special logos over time. The first unique logo was used from 1982 to 1983, based on the Iraqi flag. From 2000 to 2002, their logo had a green outline with "Iraq" written in Arabic. In 2005, they used a new logo for the West Asian Games. In 2007, they briefly went back to the 2000-2002 logo. The team's current logo was revealed in October 2020. For a short time from 2021 to 2022, a star was added above the logo to celebrate their 2007 AFC Asian Cup victory.

Images for kids

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  1982–1983

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  2000–2002,
  2007

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  2005

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  2020–2021,
  2022–present

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  2021–2022

Team Rivalries

Iraq has strong football rivalries with several neighboring countries.

• Iraq vs. Iran: This is Iraq's main and oldest rivalry. Both are considered top teams in the Middle East and Asia. For a long time, Iran was more dominant. During the Iran–Iraq War, matches against Iran became even more important for Iraqis, seen as a must-win game. Iraq has played 31 matches against Iran, with 6 wins, 7 draws, and 18 losses.

• Iraq vs. Saudi Arabia: Matches between Iraq and Saudi Arabia are also very important. They are seen as the two most successful Arab teams in Asia. Their rivalry grew stronger after the 1990s, partly due to the Gulf War. Some matches have had controversies, like when Iraq lost the right to host the 21st Arabian Gulf Cup. Iraq has played 41 matches against Saudi Arabia, with 18 wins, 11 draws, and 12 losses.

• Iraq vs. Kuwait: The rivalry between Iraq and Kuwait used to be the biggest in the Middle East. It started in the mid-1970s. Because of the Gulf War, the teams didn't play each other for over 15 years until 2005. Iraq has played 39 matches against Kuwait, with 17 wins, 12 draws, and 10 losses.

Passionate Supporters

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

Iraqi national team fans are known for their loud and proud chants. They often sing "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 matches.

Another popular chant is "the first goal is coming" ("هسه يجي الاول") at the start of a game. After Iraq scores, fans often chant "the second goal is coming" ("هسه يجي الثاني") to encourage the players to score more.

Home Matches in Iraq

Basra International Stadium during its opening friendly match in 2013.

Iraq usually plays its home matches at Basra International Stadium, but they have used other stadiums too. Since 1980, FIFA has sometimes banned Iraq from hosting international matches due to various reasons.

The first ban was in 1980. It was lifted in 1982, but the Iran–Iraq War led to another ban. During this time, Iraq played home games in other countries but still qualified for the 1986 FIFA World Cup and three Olympic Games. The ban ended in 1988.

Another ban happened after the Gulf War in 1990 and lasted until 1995. Iraq hosted some World Cup qualifiers in 1998 and 2002. However, after the Iraq War in 2003, they had to play abroad again. Home matches started again in 2009, but security concerns led to another ban in 2011.

Between 2013 and 2018, Iraq hosted friendly matches in Baghdad, Basra, and Karbala. FIFA finally lifted the ban in 2018. Basra hosted the 2018 AFC Cup Final, and the 2019 WAFF Championship was held in Karbala and Erbil. However, protests in Iraq in 2019 led to another ban, forcing Iraq to play their home games in other countries for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

In 2023, Iraq successfully hosted the Arabian Gulf Cup for the first time since 1979. They have also started hosting official matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers again.

Team Records

Most Games Played

Younis Mahmoud is Iraq's most capped player, having played in 148 official matches.

• Younis Mahmoud: 148 games (2002–2016)
• Hussein Saeed: 137 games (1976–1990)
• Alaa Abdul-Zahra: 126 games (2007–2021)
• Adnan Dirjal: 122 games (1978–1990)
• Ahmed Radhi: 121 games (1982–1997)

Top Goal Scorers

Hussein Saeed is Iraq's all-time leading goalscorer, with 78 goals in 137 official matches.

• Hussein Saeed: 78 goals (1976–1990)
• Ahmed Radhi: 62 goals (1982–1997)
• Younis Mahmoud: 57 goals (2002–2016)
• Ali Kadhim: 35 goals (1970–1980)
• Aymen Hussein: 32 goals (2015–present)

Team Achievements

[[football squad on pitch|align=right | GK = Sabri | RB = Abdul-Amir | RCB = Rehema | LCB = Ghulam | LB = Abbas | RDM = Akram | LDM = Munir | LM = Mohammed | RM = Karim | AM = Jassim | CF = Mahmoud (C) | caption = Iraq's starting line-up against Saudi Arabia in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup Final, a match they won 1–0. ]]

Major Titles

• AFC Asian Cup
  • Champions (1): 2007
• Asian Games
  • Gold medal (1): 1982

Regional Titles

• WAFF Championship
  • Champions (1): 2002
• Arab Cup
  • Champions (4): 1964, 1966, 1985, 1988
• Arabian Gulf Cup
  • Champions (4): 1979, 1984, 1988, 2023
• West Asian Games
  • Gold medal (1): 2005
• Arab Games
  • Gold medal (1): 1985

Other Awards

• World Soccer Team of the Year: 2007
• AFC National Team of the Year: 2003, 2007

See also

In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Irak para niños