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Iraq national football team
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The Iraqi national football team (Arabic: منتخب العراق لكرة القدم) is the national team of Iraq and is controlled by the Iraq Football Association. They are the reigning champions of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
History
Iraqi football reached a peak in the 1970s and 1980s - Iraq qualified for the 1986 World Cup and the Olympic Games 3 times in Moscow, Los Angeles and Seoul. Iraq also won the 1982 Asian Games, the Arab Nations Cup 4 times, the Gulf Cup of Nations 3 times, and the 1985 Pan Arab Games fielding a B team. Iraq finished in 4th place in the 1976 AFC Asian Cup - the last Asian Cup Iraq would participate in until (1996).
The Dark Generation
During the rule of the government of Saddam Hussein, Saddam's son, Uday Hussein, was in charge of the Iraqi Olympic Committee and, by extension, the national football team. Under Uday's leadership, motivational lectures to the team included threats to cut off players' legs, while missed practices resulted in prison time and losses resulted in flogging with electric cable or baths in raw sewage, if penalites or an open goal was missed or own goals were scored then that person would have their feet whipped with thorns.[1] After the Gulf War, Iraq was banned from participating in the Asian Games and in most Arab competitions. In 1996 Iraq was ranked 139th in the world, the worst FIFA ranking in Iraqi football history.
Post war and successes
Despite the war in Iraq, the football team continued playing international tournaments with good results. In 2004, Iraq reached the quarterfinals of the 2004 AFC Asian Cup, as they had done in 1996 and 2000, and they then qualified for the 2004 Summer Olympics. Iraq defeated Portugal, Costa Rica, and Australia, finally coming 4th, winning the fair play award, and by the end of the year the 2004 AFC team of the year award. In 2005, Iraq won the Gold medal of the West Asian Games. In 2006, Iraq Olympic team won the Silver medal at the 2006 Asian Games. In 2007, Iraq won the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, and became the 2007 AFC team of the year, Al-Ahram's 2007 Arab team of the year, World Soccer Magazine's 2007 World team of the year [2] and were nominated for the Prince of Asturias Award.[3]. As a result of winning the 2007 Asian Cup, Iraq qualified for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup.
Temporary Suspension
On May 26, 2008, FIFA provisionally suspended the Iraq Football Association from competition for one year, following a decision by the Iraqi government to disband the country's national sports federations.[4] However the descision was overturned by FIFA on May 29, 2008, since the Iraqi government reversed its earlier descision in dissolving the Iraq Football Association.[5]
Home and Difficulties
Iraq played their home games on neutral territory in the 80s due to the Iraq-Iran war, but still qualified to the 1986 World Cup and the Olympic Games 3 times in Moscow, Los Angeles and Seoul. In qualification for the 2002 World Cup, Iraq played at home against Iran, Bahrain, and Thailand in the Al Shaab Stadium in Baghdad. Saudi Arabia refused to play against the nation, protesting the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein. Since 2003, the war in Iraq has forced Iraq to play their home matches in Jordan, Syria, Qatar or the UAE for security reasons, leading to significant transportation difficulties.
Kits
The home kit is white with black trim and the away kit is green with white trim. The trim runs from the collar down the shoulders and arms. The Iraq national football team is currently sponsored by Peak.
| World Cup record |
| Year |
Round |
GP |
W |
D |
L |
GS |
GA |
| 1930 to 1970 |
Did not enter |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 1974 |
Did not qualify |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 1978 |
Did not enter |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 1982 |
Did not qualify |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 1986 |
Round 1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
| 1990 to 2010 |
Did not qualify |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Total |
Best: Round 1 |
3 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
1 |
4 |
|
| World Cup History |
| Year |
Round |
Score |
Result |
| 1986 |
Round 1 |
 Iraq 0 – 1  Paraguay |
Lose |
| Round 1 |
Iraq 1 – 2  Belgium |
Lose |
| Round 1 |
Iraq 0 – 1  Mexico |
Lose |
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Iraqis were the winners of the 2007 Asian Cup, defeating Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the final in Jakarta courtesy of a second half goal headed by Younis Mahmoud. As a result, Iraq will compete in the Confederations Cup in 2009 in South Africa, with the high possibility of a match against the United States, as both countries have qualified (seven of the past eight Confederations Cup tournaments had the North American champions and the Asian champions face each other in the first round).
| Olympic Games |
| Year |
Round |
GP |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
| 1900 to 1956 |
Did not enter |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 1960 to 1976 |
Did not qualify |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 1980 |
Quarterfinals |
4 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
4 |
5 |
| 1984 |
Round 1 |
3 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
6 |
| 1988 |
Round 1 |
3 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
5 |
4 |
| 1992 |
Did not enter |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 1996 to 2000 |
Did not qualify
|
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 2004 |
4th Place |
6 |
3 |
0 |
3 |
9 |
8 |
| 2008 |
Did not qualify |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Total |
Best: 4th Place |
16 |
4 |
5 |
7 |
21 |
23 |
|
|
Asian Competitions History
Major Tournaments
|
Asian Cup record
| Asian Cup |
| Year |
Round |
GP |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
| 1956 to 1968 |
Did not enter |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 1972 |
Round 1 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
4 |
| 1976 |
4th Place |
4 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
3 |
6 |
| 1980 to 1992 |
Did not enter |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| 1996 |
Quarterfinals |
4 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
6 |
4 |
| 2000 |
Quarterfinals |
4 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
| 2004 |
Quarterfinals |
4 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
5 |
7 |
| 2007 |
Champions |
6 |
3 |
3 |
0 |
7 |
2 |
| 2011 |
Qualified |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
- |
| Total |
Best: Champions |
25 |
9 |
6 |
10 |
27 |
30 |
|
Asian Games record
| Asian Games |
| Year |
Round |
GP |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
|
1951 to 1970
|
Did not enter
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
1974
|
Round 2
|
6
|
3
|
2
|
1
|
6
|
2
|
|
1978
|
4th Place
|
7
|
4
|
1
|
2
|
11
|
4
|
|
1982
|
Gold Medal
|
6
|
5
|
0
|
1
|
11
|
2
|
|
1986
|
Quarter Finals
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
13
|
5
|
|
1990 to 2002
|
Banned
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
2006
|
Silver Medal
|
9
|
6
|
1
|
2
|
17
|
3
|
|
Total
|
Best: Gold Medal
|
33
|
21
|
5
|
7
|
58
|
16
|
|
Regional Tournaments
Inter Confederations Competitions History
|
Arab Nations Cup record
| Arab Nations Cup |
| Year |
Round |
GP |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
|
1963
|
Did not enter
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
1964
|
Champions
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
6
|
2
|
|
1966
|
Champions
|
6
|
5
|
1
|
0
|
20
|
5
|
|
1985
|
Champions
|
4
|
3
|
1
|
0
|
7
|
3
|
|
1988
|
Champions
|
6
|
2
|
4
|
0
|
7
|
2
|
|
1992 to 2002
|
Banned
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
2009
|
Qualifications-on going
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Total
|
Best: Champions
|
20
|
13
|
7
|
0
|
40
|
12
|
|
Pan Arab Games record
| Pan Arab Games |
| Year |
Round |
GP |
W |
D |
L |
GF |
GA |
|
1953
|
Did not enter
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
1957
|
Round 1
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
8
|
8
|
|
1961
|
Did not enter
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
1965
|
Round 1
|
4
|
1
|
2
|
1
|
7
|
2
|
|
1976
|
Did not enter
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
1985
|
Champions
|
4
|
4
|
0
|
0
|
7
|
1
|
|
1997
|
Did not enter
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
1999
|
2nd Place
|
7
|
4
|
1
|
2
|
17
|
9
|
|
2007
|
Did not enter
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
|
Total
|
Best: Champions
|
18
|
10
|
4
|
4
|
39
|
20
|
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Current Squad
Iraqi Football Association has dissolved the national soccer team and dismissed the coach on June 26, 2008. The Iraqi Football Association are to appoint a new coach, who will choose a new brand of Iraqi players. However it is stated that current members could make the new roster.[6]
Recent Squad
Recent Callups
- The following players have also been called up to Iraq squad for the last 3 months.
Previous Squads
Coaches
Coaches by Years (1951-2008)[7][8]
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