In 2023, the Iraqi team played a total of 12 matches. Coach Jesus Casas's team won 8, lost 3 and drew 1. This is a very impressive performance of the West Asian team if you look at the opponents they faced.
Iraq defeated Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Qatar and Oman in the Gulf Cup earlier this year. Two of these four teams are in the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup and are in the same group as Vietnam, namely Saudi Arabia and Oman. Meanwhile, Qatar is the reigning Asian Cup champion and host of the 2022 World Cup finals.
Iraq went undefeated in the Gulf Cup before winning the title. This is Iraq's first major football title since the 2007 Asian Cup.
Iraq team won the 2023 Gulf Cup. (Photo: Getty)
Following the Gulf Cup, the Iraqi team won the King's Cup. They defeated two opponents, India and Thailand.
Iraq's three defeats were against Russia, Colombia and Qatar. Of these, Russia and Colombia are strong teams, having participated in the World Cup many times. Meanwhile, Iraq only lost to Qatar on penalties after a 0-0 draw in regular time.
Before the match with Vietnam, Iraq opened the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup with a resounding 5-1 victory over Indonesia. Therefore, the West Asian team is a big challenge for coach Philippe Troussier and his team.
The Iraqi team arrived in Vietnam on November 17. They practiced four sessions here to get used to the weather and field conditions. Coach Jesus Casas brought 24 players with him.
He will not have the services of some quality players such as Zidane Iqbal, Amjad Attwan, Saad Natiq, Ahmed Yasin or Alaa Abbas. However, this team still has up to 10 players playing in Europe in the squad. In addition, 2 players who scored against the Vietnamese team at the 2019 Asian Cup are also present, Ali Adnan and Mohanad Ali.
Van Hai
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