kids encyclopedia robot

Iraq national football team facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
This page is about the men's team. For the women's team, see Iraq women's national football team.
Quick facts for kids
Iraq
Shirt badge/Association crest
Nickname(s) Usood al-Rafidayn
(Lions of Mesopotamia)
Association Iraq Football Association (IFA)
Confederation AFC (Asia)
Sub-confederation WAFF (West Asia)
Head coach Jesús Casas
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 Increase 8 (7 February 2019)
Highest 39 (6 October 2004)
Lowest 139 (3 July 1996)
Elo ranking
Current 62 Increase 4 (3 March 2019)
Highest 24 (3 December 1982)
Lowest 98 (6 October 2016)
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
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
Website socceriraq.net

The Iraq national football team (Arabic: منتخب الْعِرَاق لِكُرَةُ الْقَدَم) represents Iraq in men's international football. It is controlled by the Iraq Football Association (IFA). Iraq's main home stadium is the Basra International Stadium.

Iraq has played in one FIFA World Cup in 1986. They scored their only goal in that tournament against Belgium. Iraq is one of only eight countries in Asia to have won the AFC Asian Cup. They won this important title in 2007. This was a huge win, especially because they faced tough challenges and didn't have much time to get ready. They beat strong teams like Australia, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia.

Winning the Asian Cup allowed them to play in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. There, they earned two points in the group stage. Later, they finished fourth at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

Iraq is also the current champion of the Arabian Gulf Cup, winning it in 2023 when they hosted the event. They are also the most successful team in the Arab Cup, with four titles. Iraqi football fans are very passionate. The national team is seen as 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.

History of Iraqi Football

The Beginning (1948-1960s)

The Iraq Football Association was started on October 8, 1948. Iraq then joined FIFA in 1950. In April 1951, Iraq played its first match, winning 5–0 against a local team.

Iraq's first official international game was on October 19, 1957. They tied 3–3 with Morocco at the 1957 Arab Games in Beirut. Famous players like Ammo Baba and Youra Eshaya scored goals. Youra Eshaya later became the first Iraqi footballer to play in England in 1954.

In 1962, Iraq got its first foreign coach, Romanian Cornel Drăgușin. Iraq won its first trophy, the Arab Cup, in 1964. They won three games and tied one. In 1966, they won the Arab Cup again, beating Syria 2–1 in the final in Baghdad.

The 1970s and Early Challenges

In 1972, Iraq played in its first ever AFC Asian Cup. However, they didn't win any games in that tournament. In March 1973, Iraq started its first ever FIFA World Cup qualifying journey. They finished second in their group, just behind Australia, and didn't move on.

Later in the 1970s, Iraq reached the second round of the Asian Games in 1974. They lost the Arabian Gulf Cup final in 1976. They also finished fourth at the AFC Asian Cup in 1976 and in the Asian Games in 1978. Finally, in 1979, Iraq hosted and won the Arabian Gulf Cup. After 1976, Iraq didn't play in the Asian Cup for 20 years.

The First Golden Era (1980s)

The 1980s were a very successful time for Iraqi football. They won many titles and played in their only World Cup.

In 1982, Iraq won the gold medal at the 1982 Asian Games. In 1984, they won the Arabian Gulf Cup. The next year, they won the 1985 Arab Cup and another gold medal at the 1985 Arab Games.

1986 FIFA World Cup Journey

Iraq started their journey to the 1986 FIFA World Cup by playing Qatar and Jordan. They finished first in their group and moved to the next round. Iraq then beat United Arab Emirates 3–2 in Dubai. Even though they lost the second game 2–1, Iraq won on away goals and moved to the final round. In the final round, Iraq tied Syria 0–0. Then, they beat Syria 3–1, which meant Iraq qualified for the 1986 World Cup!

In their first World Cup game, Iraq played well against Paraguay, losing only 1–0. A goal they scored was unfairly disallowed. In their second game, Iraq scored its first ever World Cup goal against Belgium. Ahmed Radhi scored, but Iraq lost 2–1 with only ten players. In their third game, Iraq lost 1–0 to host country Mexico and was out of the tournament.

After the World Cup, Iraq won the 1988 Arabian Gulf Cup and the 1988 Arab Cup. Overall, Iraq won nine competitions in the 1980s. This is why many people call it the golden era of Iraqi football.

A Difficult Time (1990s)

After the Gulf War in 1990, Iraq was not allowed to play in the Asian Games and most Arab competitions. This meant they mostly played friendly games.

1994 FIFA World Cup Qualification

In 1993, Iraq tried to qualify for the 1994 FIFA World Cup. They were in a group with China, Yemen, Jordan, and Pakistan. Iraq was very strong, only losing once and tying once.

In the final round, Iraq was grouped with Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Japan, Iran, and North Korea. In their first match, Iraq lost dramatically to North Korea, even though they were winning 2–0. They later tied with South Korea and beat Iran.

Iraq missed out on a World Cup spot by just two points. They tied their last game with Japan 2–2, which stopped Japan from qualifying. This match is known in Japan as the "Agony of Doha."

1996 AFC Asian Cup and Low Ranking

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 in the world. This was their lowest ranking ever, mostly because they didn't play in many tournaments.

This time was known as 'The Dark Era' because of bad leadership in Iraqi football.

The Second Golden Era (2000s)

The 2000s brought a new golden generation for Iraqi football, though it started with some challenges.

Early 2000s Tournaments

Iraq played in the 2000 AFC Asian Cup but lost to Japan in the quarter-finals. They reached the final round of 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers for the first time since 1994, but didn't make it to the finals.

In 2002, Iraq won its first ever WAFF Championship, beating Jordan 3–2 in extra time. In 2004, Iraq reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup but lost to China. In the same year, they were knocked out of the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifiers by Uzbekistan.

Iraq reached its highest FIFA World Ranking of 39th in October 2004. The next year, Iraq won the gold medal in the West Asian Games.

2007 AFC Asian Cup Victory

Asian Cup Australia-Iraq II
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 started its 2007 AFC Asian Cup journey. The team was made up mostly of players who had done well in youth tournaments and the 2004 Olympics. Their coach, Jorvan Vieira, had only two months to prepare the team. The team also faced very poor facilities and couldn't play games in their own country due to safety concerns. Many players had also lost family members in the war.

Despite these difficulties, the team started strong. They tied 1–1 with hosts Thailand, then won an amazing 3–1 against favorites Australia. A tie with Oman put Iraq into the quarter-finals. Two goals from Younis Mahmoud against Vietnam sent Iraq to the semi-finals. They then beat one of Asia's best teams, South Korea, in a penalty shootout.

After the semi-final win, a sad event happened: a bomb killed 30 football fans who were celebrating. This almost made the Iraqi team quit the final. But they decided to play on to honor those who died. They succeeded, beating Saudi Arabia 1–0 in the final with a header from Younis Mahmoud. This win is seen as one of the biggest upsets in football history. A country facing war became international champions in what many call a "fairytale" story.

2010 FIFA World Cup Qualification Challenges

Under a new coach, Iraq beat Pakistan to advance in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. They were then grouped with Australia, China, and Qatar. After a slow start, Iraq won against Australia and China.

In May 2008, FIFA temporarily stopped Iraq from playing international games due to government interference. The ban was lifted a few days later. Iraq needed one more point to reach the final stage of qualifiers but lost to Qatar and finished third in their group.

2009 FIFA Confederations Cup

In 2009, Iraq played in its second ever FIFA tournament, the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, because they won the 2007 Asian Cup. They tied 0–0 with hosts South Africa, then lost 1–0 to UEFA Euro 2008 winners Spain. Iraq tied their last game 0–0 with New Zealand and was knocked out.

In November 2009, FIFA again suspended the Iraq FA due to government interference. The suspension was lifted in March 2010.

Ups and Downs (2010s)

Iraq national football team 2011
The Iraqi national team pose ahead of their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification match against China in Doha.

2011 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq automatically qualified for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup. They won two games and advanced to the quarter-finals. On January 23, Iraq lost to Australia 1–0 in extra time.

2014 FIFA World Cup Qualification

Iraq started their 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers by beating Yemen. They then topped their group with 15 points. In the final stage, they were grouped with Jordan, Japan, Australia, and Oman. After a slow start, Iraq won against Jordan, moving them up in the group. However, they were later eliminated from the qualifiers.

2015 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq was in danger of missing the 2015 AFC Asian Cup after losing to China and Saudi Arabia. But they won their last two games, including a 3–1 win against China, to qualify.

Iraq started the 2015 Asian Cup with a 1–0 win over Jordan. They lost to Japan but then beat Palestine to reach the knockout stage. Iraq famously beat Iran in the quarter-finals in a penalty shootout after a thrilling 3–3 draw. They then lost to South Korea in the semi-finals and finished fourth after losing to United Arab Emirates.

2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification

For the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, Iraq was in a group with Thailand, Vietnam, and Chinese Taipei. After some ties, Iraq was in danger of not making it to the final round. But they beat Vietnam 1–0 to reach the final round and qualify for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.

In the final round, Iraq faced tough teams like Japan, Australia, and Saudi Arabia. They only got 4 points from seven games and their coach was replaced. Iraq finished fifth in their group and did not qualify for the 2018 World Cup.

Recent Years (2020s)

2022 FIFA World Cup Qualification

Iraq played in the second round of Asian qualifiers and reached the final round with five wins from eight matches, including a 2–1 victory against Iran.

Iraq went 19 matches without losing between 2019 and 2021. Their FIFA ranking improved from 89th to 68th during this time. However, their coach left due to unpaid wages. After a slow start in the final round of qualifiers, Iraq's new coach resigned. Iraq was eventually eliminated after finishing fourth in their group.

2023 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq was in Group D with Japan, Vietnam, and Indonesia. On January 15, 2024, Iraq beat Indonesia 3–1. Four days later, Iraq caused a big surprise by beating Japan 2–1, a team that had been undefeated in 11 matches. Both goals were scored by Aymen Hussein. This win secured first place in their group. Iraq then beat Vietnam 3–2, finishing with a perfect record of nine points. However, Iraq lost 3–2 to Jordan in the Round of 16 and was knocked out. This match was controversial because Aymen Hussein received a second yellow card for celebrating his goal.

2026 FIFA World Cup Qualification

On November 7, 2022, Jesús Casas became Iraq's head coach. In his first tournament, Iraq hosted and won the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup, beating Oman 3–2 in the final after extra time.

Iraq was placed in Group F for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification. They won four games in a row against Indonesia, Vietnam, and twice against the Philippines. This means Iraq has moved on to the next round and has also qualified for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup.

Team Image

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, many different brands have made Iraq's kits, including Puma, Nike, Adidas, and Umbro. Currently, Jako makes their kits.

Nickname: Lions of Mesopotamia

Pergamon Museum Berlin 2007113
Lion in ceramic tile from the Ishtar Gate in Babylon

The Iraqi team is famously known as Usood al-Rafidayn, which means "Lions of Mesopotamia". In ancient Mesopotamia, the lion was a symbol of power and strength. This can be seen in the famous lion sculptures in Babylon, especially on the Ishtar Gate. These lions showed the king's power and represented defeating enemies. The idea was that these symbols would bring strength to the team.

Iraq's 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 one was from 1982 to 1983, based on the Iraqi flag. From 2000 to 2002, their logo was a green outline with "Iraq" written in Arabic. In 2005, they used a new logo with a red band from the flag. In 2007, they briefly went back to the 2000–2002 logo. On October 23, 2020, the team's current logo was revealed. It has a star above the crest to celebrate their 2007 AFC Asian Cup victory.

  • Iraq national football team logo (1983)

    1982–1983

  • Iraq National Team Logo (2007)

    2000–2002, 2007

  • Iraq West Asian Games Badge

    2005

  • Iraq National Team Badge 2021 v1

    2020–present

Rivalries

Iraq has strong rivalries with many of its neighboring countries due to its location.

Iraq's main rival is Iran. They are often seen as two of the best football teams in the Middle East and Asia. In the past, Iran was more dominant. During the time of Saddam Hussein, the two countries had difficult relations, including the Iran–Iraq War. Because of this, Iraqis see matches against Iran as very important. Iraq has played 31 matches against Iran, with 6 wins, 7 draws, and 18 losses.

Another rival is Saudi Arabia. Games between these two teams also get a lot of attention. Iraq and Saudi Arabia are known as the two most successful Arab teams in Asia. Their rivalry started in the 1970s but grew stronger after the 1990s, partly because of the Gulf War. These games have sometimes had controversies. Iraq has played 40 matches against Saudi Arabia, with 18 wins, 11 draws, and 11 losses.

Iraq's rivalry with Kuwait was once considered the biggest in the Middle East. It started in the mid-1970s. After the Gulf War, Iraq and Kuwait did not play each other for over 15 years until 2005. Iraq has played 37 matches against Kuwait, with 17 wins, 10 draws, and 10 losses.

Supporters

Iraq national football team wins Asia Cup (Edgeware Road)
Iraqi fans in London celebrating Iraq winning the 2007 AFC Asian Cup

Fans of the Iraq national team are famous for their chants. They often chant "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"). This is chanted at the start of a match. After Iraq scores a goal, 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 Opening
Basra International Stadium during the second opening friendly match between Al-Zawraa and Zamalek in 2013

Iraq usually plays its home matches at Basra International Stadium. They have also used other stadiums in Iraq. Since 1980, FIFA has banned Iraq from hosting competitive international games six times.

The first ban was in 1980 after a game where fans and players attacked the referee. The ban was lifted in 1982. Around the same time, the Iran–Iraq War began, and the ban was put back in place. Iraq played its home qualifying games in other countries but still qualified for the 1986 FIFA World Cup and three Olympic Games. The ban was lifted in 1988 when the war ended.

In 1990, FIFA banned Iraq again because of the Gulf War. This ban lasted until 1995. Iraq then hosted home matches for the 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.

The Iraq War in 2003 forced Iraq to play home matches outside the country for safety reasons for six years. In July 2009, Iraq played on home soil for the first time since the war, against Palestine. FIFA, however, put the ban back in place in September 2011 due to safety concerns.

Between 2013 and 2018, Iraq played several friendly matches at home. After these successful friendlies, FIFA lifted the ban on competitive matches in three cities in March 2018. Iraq then hosted the 2018 AFC Cup Final and the 2019 WAFF Championship.

However, after protests in Iraq in 2019, FIFA again banned competitive home matches. This meant Iraq had to play the rest of their 2022 World Cup qualifiers in other countries.

In 2023, Iraq hosted and won the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup, which was the first time they had hosted the tournament since 1979. Iraq has now started playing official games at home again for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.

Results and Upcoming Matches

Main article: Iraq national football team results

The following is a list of match results from the last 12 months, along with any scheduled future matches.

      Win       Draw       Loss       Fixture

2024 Matches

Coaching Staff

As of November 6, 2022.

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

Players

Current Squad

The following 25 players were chosen for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Jordan and Oman in November 2024.

Caps (games played) and goals are correct as of November 19, 2024, 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 30) 19 0 Iraq Al-Talaba
12 1GK Ahmed Basil (1996-08-19) 19 August 1996 (age 28) 7 0 Iraq Al-Shorta
22 1GK Hussein Hassan (2003-10-05) 5 October 2003 (age 21) 0 0 Iraq Al-Karkh
2 2DF Rebin Sulaka (1992-04-12) 12 April 1992 (age 33) 47 1 Switzerland Schaffhausen
3 2DF Hussein Ali (2002-03-01) 1 March 2002 (age 23) 18 1 Netherlands Heerenveen
4 2DF Manaf Younis (1996-11-16) 16 November 1996 (age 28) 20 1 Iraq Al-Shorta
5 2DF Ali Faez (1994-09-09) 9 September 1994 (age 30) 49 4 Iraq Al-Najaf
6 2DF Zaid Tahseen (2001-01-29) 29 January 2001 (age 24) 15 1 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
13 2DF Mustafa Saadoon (2001-05-25) 25 May 2001 (age 24) 7 0 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
15 2DF Ahmed Yahya (1997-05-27) 27 May 1997 (age 28) 9 0 Iraq Al-Shorta
20 2DF Frans Putros (1993-07-14) 14 July 1993 (age 31) 20 0 Thailand Port
23 2DF Merchas Doski (1999-12-07) 7 December 1999 (age 25) 20 0 Czech Republic Slovácko
4 3MF Mohamed Al-Taay (2000-06-15) 15 June 2000 (age 25) 3 0 New Zealand Wellington Phoenix
13 3MF Montader Madjed (2005-04-24) 24 April 2005 (age 20) 3 0 Sweden Hammarby
8 3MF Ibrahim Bayesh (2000-05-01) 1 May 2000 (age 25) 60 7 Saudi Arabia Al-Riyadh
9 3MF Ahmed Yasin (1991-04-22) 22 April 1991 (age 34) 69 6 Sweden Örebro
11 3MF Zidane Iqbal (2003-04-27) 27 April 2003 (age 22) 15 1 Netherlands Utrecht
14 3MF Amjad Attwan (1997-03-12) 12 March 1997 (age 28) 82 4 Iraq Zakho
16 3MF Amir Al-Ammari (1997-07-27) 27 July 1997 (age 27) 35 2 Poland Cracovia
17 3MF Ali Jasim (2004-01-20) 20 January 2004 (age 21) 19 2 Italy Como
19 3MF Youssef Amyn (2003-08-21) 21 August 2003 (age 21) 15 2 Saudi Arabia Al-Wehda
21 3MF Saad Abdul-Amir (captain) (1992-01-19) 19 January 1992 (age 33) 86 4 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
7 4FW Ali Al-Hamadi (2002-03-01) 1 March 2002 (age 23) 14 3 England Ipswich Town
10 4FW Mohanad Ali (2000-06-20) 20 June 2000 (age 25) 53 20 Iraq Al-Shorta
18 4FW Aymen Hussein (1996-03-22) 22 March 1996 (age 29) 81 30 Qatar Al-Khor

Recent Call-ups

These players have been called up in the last 12 months and can still be chosen for the team.


Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Goals Club Latest call-up
GK Jalal Hassan (1991-05-18) 18 May 1991 (age 34) 87 0 Iraq Al-Zawraa v.  South Korea, 15 October 2024INJ
GK Ali Kadhim (1996-11-04) 4 November 1996 (age 28) 0 0 Iraq Zakho v.  Kuwait, 10 September 2024
GK Kumel Al-Rekabe (2004-08-19) 19 August 2004 (age 20) 0 0 Spain Leganés B v.  Vietnam, 11 June 2024
GK Mohammed Saleh (1995-05-01) 1 May 1995 (age 30) 0 0 Iraq Duhok v.  Philippines, 26 March 2024
DF Saad Natiq (1994-03-19) 19 March 1994 (age 31) 39 1 Iraq Al-Talaba v.  South Korea, 15 October 2024
DF Hassan Raed (2000-09-23) 23 September 2000 (age 24) 11 0 Iraq Al-Shorta v.  [[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]], 10 October 2024INJ
DF Ahmed Maknzi (2001-09-24) 24 September 2001 (age 23) 0 0 Iraq Al-Najaf v.  Kuwait, 10 September 2024
DF Akam Hashim (1998-08-16) 16 August 1998 (age 26) 1 0 Iraq Al-Shorta v.  Oman, 5 September 2024PRE
DF Dhurgham Ismail (1994-05-23) 23 May 1994 (age 31) 71 4 Bahrain Al-Khaldiya v.  Philippines, 26 March 2024
DF Ali Adnan (1993-12-19) 19 December 1993 (age 31) 94 7 Saudi Arabia Al-Najma 2023 AFC Asian Cup
DF Allan Mohideen (1993-11-11) 11 November 1993 (age 31) 3 0 Sweden Utsikten 2023 AFC Asian Cup
MF Danilo Al-Saed (1999-02-24) 24 February 1999 (age 26) 5 0 Netherlands Heerenveen v.  Jordan, 14 November 2024WD
MF Louaï El Ani (1997-07-12) 12 July 1997 (age 27) 4 0 Iraq Al-Talaba v.  South Korea, 15 October 2024
MF Lucas Shlimon (2003-02-15) 15 February 2003 (age 22) 2 0 Sweden Örebro v.  South Korea, 15 October 2024
MF Safaa Hadi (1998-10-14) 14 October 1998 (age 26) 40 1 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v.  South Korea, 15 October 2024
MF Osama Rashid (1992-01-17) 17 January 1992 (age 33) 38 2 Iraq Erbil v.  [[Palestinian National Authority {{{altlink}}}|Palestinian National Authority]], 10 October 2024INJ
MF Mohammed Qasim (1996-12-06) 6 December 1996 (age 28) 24 2 Iraq Al-Najaf v.  Oman, 5 September 2024PRE
MF Hasan Abdulkareem (1999-04-17) 17 April 1999 (age 26) 13 1 Iraq Al-Zawraa v.  Oman, 5 September 2024PRE
MF Hiran Ahmed (2000-04-06) 6 April 2000 (age 25) 3 0 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v.  Oman, 5 September 2024PRE
MF Bashar Resan (1996-12-22) 22 December 1996 (age 28) 64 4 Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya v.  Vietnam, 11 June 2024
MF Marko Farji (2004-03-16) 16 March 2004 (age 21) 0 0 Norway Strømsgodset v.  Vietnam, 11 June 2024
MF Abdulrazzaq Qasim (2003-02-19) 19 February 2003 (age 22) 0 0 Iraq Al-Shorta v.  Philippines, 26 March 2024
MF Ahmad Allée (1996-04-29) 29 April 1996 (age 29) 4 0 France Rouen 2023 AFC Asian Cup
FW Amin Al-Hamawi (2003-12-17) 17 December 2003 (age 21) 2 0 Sweden Sandviken v.  South Korea, 15 October 2024
FW Pashang Abdulla (1994-05-29) 29 May 1994 (age 31) 3 0 Iraq Duhok v.  Oman, 5 September 2024PRE

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

Players in bold are still active with Iraq.

Most Appearances

Younis Mahmoud 2011
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
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 Aymen Hussein 30 80 0.38 2015–present
6 Falah Hassan 29 103 0.28 1970–1986
7 Emad Mohammed 27 103 0.26 2001–2012
8 Razzaq Farhan 25 62 0.4 1998–2007
9 Laith Hussein 21 80 0.26 1986–2002
10 Mohanad Ali 20 52 0.38 2017–present
Hawar Mulla Mohammed 20 113 0.18 2001–2012

Competitive Records

FIFA World Cup

Main article: Iraq at the FIFA World Cup

AFC Asian Cup

Main article: Iraq at the AFC Asian Cup

FIFA Confederations Cup

Summer Olympics

Main article: Football at the Summer Olympics

Asian Games

Main article: Football at the Asian Games

Regional Competitions

WAFF Championship

FIFA Arab Cup

Arabian Gulf Cup

West Asian Games

Arab Games

FIFA Rankings

Last update was on November 26, 2023.

     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

This is a list of trophies and awards won by the senior Iraq national team.

Soccer Field Transparant.svg

Sabri
Rehema
Ghulam
Abdul-Amir
Abbas
Akram
Munir
Jassim
Karim
Mohammed
Iraq's starting line-up against Saudi Arabia in the 2007 AFC Asian Cup Final, a match they won 1–0.

Summary of Honours

Competition Med 1.png Med 2.png Med 3.png Total
AFC Asian Cup 1 0 0 1
Asian Games 1 0 0 1
WAFF Championship 1 3 1 5
Arab Cup 4 0 1 5
Arabian Gulf Cup 4 2 0 6
West Asian Games 1 0 0 1
Arab Games 1 1 0 2
Total 13 6 2 21

Images for kids

  • Iraqi Football National team 1951

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

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Selección de fútbol de Irak para niños

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Iraq national football team Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.