Iraq team and aspirations from war bombs

On the night of July 29, 2007, gunshots echoed in the capital Baghdad.

Violence has engulfed this place since the US and its allies arrived in Iraq in 2003. The streets are littered with bombs, bullets and corpses.

Younis Mahmoud (No. 10) was an outstanding player of the 2007 Asian Cup, helping Iraq win the championship for the first time.

A 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia at Bung Karno Stadium (Indonesia) helped Iraq reach the top of the continent for the first time.

Iraq’s extraordinary efforts made everyone admire.

After defeating South Korea in the semi-finals, the Iraqi player was shocked to hear that dozens of fans died from bombings while celebrating the victory in his home country.

Before the 2019 Asian Cup, the situation in Baghdad is still tense.

Iraq entered the UAE with 11th place in Asia, but no one underestimated Gassid and his teammates.

The Iraqi team celebrates victory in a friendly match with Palestine before the 2019 Asian Cup.

The most prominent player in the Iraqi squad is Ali Adnan – left back playing for Atalanta in Serie A. Experts also highly appreciate Hussein Ali – a small attacking midfielder.

Coach Katanec uses the second youngest squad at the tournament, with an average age of 24, just behind Vietnam.