Scouting report
Iraq arrive at their first World Cup since 1986 carrying the weight of a passionate nation behind them. Under a settled coaching setup, the Lions of Mesopotamia have blended battle-hardened domestic stars with a growing diaspora of European-based talent to finally break their long qualification drought.
Form has been encouraging — solid defensively, dangerous on transitions, and increasingly comfortable controlling games in midfield. Expectations are tempered by their modest pedigree, but there is genuine belief that this generation can compete rather than merely participate.
Style of play
Compact and disciplined out of possession, Iraq look to spring quick counters and feed a physical target man, while their European-based midfielders dictate tempo when given space.
X-factor
Zidane Iqbal's elite technical schooling could unlock stubborn defenses if he settles into a creative hub role.
Outlook
Reaching the knockout rounds would be a historic triumph; a realistic ceiling is a spirited group-stage campaign with one or two memorable results.
Key players
Model outlook
Proj. finish
39.4
Exp. points
0.77
Seed Elo
1580
Title-odds trajectory
Champion % across 9 daily snapshots
Full squad
- 135caps
Jalal Hassan
Al-Shorta · Reliable first-choice shot-stopper
- 1218caps
Fahad Talib
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya · Commanding presence between posts
- 236caps
Ahmed Basil
Al-Zawraa · Promising young understudy
- 224caps
Merchas Doski
Sandefjord · European-based attacking full-back
- 320caps
Rebin Sulaka
Amiens · Composed ball-playing centre-back
- 430caps
Zaid Tahseen
Al-Shorta · Aerially dominant defensive anchor
- 522caps
Mustafa Nadhim
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya · Tough-tackling central defender
- 628caps
Hussein Ali
Al-Shorta · Versatile defensive workhorse
- 1315caps
Ahmed Yahya
Al-Karkh · Energetic overlapping right-back
- 1540caps
Saad Natiq
Al-Najma · Experienced leader at the back
- 2112caps
Akam Hashim
Erbil · Emerging left-sided defender
- 748caps
Bashar Resan
Persepolis · Tireless midfield orchestrator
- 826caps
Amir Al-Ammari
Halmstad · Box-to-box engine and metronome
- 1032caps
Ibrahim Bayesh
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya · Creative deep-lying playmaker
- 1436caps
Osama Rashid
Vitoria · Calm tempo-setting controller
- 1618caps
Sajjad Jassim
Al-Shorta · Dynamic pressing midfielder
- 1714caps
Zidane Iqbal
Utrecht · Technical dual-national prospect
- 2016caps
Karrar Mohammed
Al-Zawraa · Direct attacking midfielder
- 950caps
Aymen Hussein
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya · Captain and prolific target man
- 1142caps
Mohanad Ali
Al-Duhail · Clinical poacher and talisman
- 1820caps
Ali Jasim
Como · Pacey wing threat
- 1913caps
Manaf Younus
Al-Talaba · Tricky inverted winger
- 2210caps
Hussein Abdulredha
Al-Shorta · Sharp counter-attacking finisher
World Cup history
2022
Did not qualify / Group stage