Many Iraqis were forced to leave their homeland after the 2003 invasion of Iraq and had started their lives elsewhere. A number of young Iraqi talents appeared in Europe , North America and Australia with their teams for the age groups, and after their distinction, the technical staff of their clubs decided to transfer them to the first team in the club. They are now known inside Iraq as expatriate players or Iraqi professionals at times, and Iraqi football has many talents in the diaspora, especially those born in Europe, or of Iraqi origin, on the father’s or mother’s side. Some of them represented the national team and the age group teams. Some of them are like the age group teams of those countries.
The players marked in bold represented the Iraqi national teams.
The level of the leagues in which the players play has been classified as 1, 2, 3, 4....etc, regardless of the designations in those countries.
These are the players that play in Iraq currently but started their careers elsewhere.
Mario Shabow during his time at Western Sydney Wanderers . Raised in Australia, Shabow was born in Baghdad to Assyrian parents and is yet to represent the national team.
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred foot
Refs
Mario Shabow
(1998-05-05 ) 5 May 1998 (age 26)
Blacktown City FC (#10)
Attacking midfielder
167 cm (5 ft 5+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 14]
Charbel Shamoon
(2004-02-10 ) 10 February 2004 (age 20)
Western United (#29)
Right-back
175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Right
[ 15]
Aisen Ishak
(2002-02-13 ) 13 February 2002 (age 22)
Preston Lions FC
Left-back
183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Left
[ 16] [ 17]
Jason Qariaqus
2006
Western United youth
Left-back
Frans Deli
(2005-06-08 ) 8 June 2005 (age 19)
Macarthur youth
Defensive midfielder
170 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Right
Daniel Sawa
2009
Melbourne City FC youth
Centre-forward
Ahmed Algarawi
(1998-10-30 ) 30 October 1998 (age 26)
Mount Druitt Town Rangers
Goalkeeper
183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Left
[ 18]
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred foot
Refs
Dario Naamo
(2005-05-14 ) 14 May 2005 (age 19)
SKN St. Pölten loan
Right-back
174 cm (5 ft 8+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred foot
Refs
Hazim Hussein Qadheeb
2007
Toronto FC youth
Right-back
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred foot
Refs
Merchas Doski
(1999-12-07 ) 7 December 1999 (age 24)
FC Slovácko (#14)
Left-back
173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Left
[ 19]
Ibrahim Aldin
(2002-04-25 ) 25 April 2002 (age 22)
SK Líšeň (#14)
Central midfielder
175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Right
[ 20]
Jakub Yunis
(1996-03-25 ) 25 March 1996 (age 28)
Unattached
Centre-forward
191 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Right
[ 21]
Kevin Yakob pictured in a IFK Göteborg kit. Born in Sweden, Yakob is of Assyrian ehtnicity from the city of Mosul and is now in line to represent the national team.
Zidane Iqbal coming on as an 89th minute substitute for Manchester United in the UEFA Champions League . The central midfielder has maternal roots from the Iraqi city of Samawah and started off representing the Iraqi Olympic team , and has represented the national team thrice.
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred Foot
Refs
Arjan Goljahanpoor
(1995-07-06 ) 6 July 1995 (age 29)
JJK Jyväskylä (#9)
Left winger
181 cm (5 ft 11+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Mustafa Abdulmuttaleb
(2006-06-08 ) 8 June 2006 (age 18)
HJK Helsinki youth
Left-back
Arez Ghoshnaw
(2005-02-10 ) 10 February 2005 (age 19)
FC Honka youth (#75)
Central midfielder
Ibrahim Mohammed Abdullah
FC Honka youth
Defender
Mahmoud Aeisar Mohammed
2008
Grankulla IFK youth
Forward
186 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Qassur Ali
2007
Käpylän Pallo
Centre-forward
Malec Mahdi
2008
Espoon Palloseura
Central Midfielder
183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred Foot
Refs
Ahmad Allée
(1996-04-29 ) 29 April 1996 (age 28)
FC Rouen (#17)
Central midfielder
172 cm (5 ft 7+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 37]
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred foot
Refs
Jiloan Hamad
(1990-11-06 ) 6 November 1990 (age 34)
Lee Man FC (#14)
Central midfielder
173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Right
[ 42]
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred foot
Refs
Sami Kamel
(1993-12-16 ) 16 December 1993 (age 30)
Knattspyrnudeild Keflavík (#23)
Attacking midfielder
184 cm (6 ft 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 43]
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred Foot
Refs
Yohan Zetuna
(2000-05-31 ) 31 May 2000 (age 24)
Tlaxcala (#22)
Centre-back
184 cm (6 ft 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 44]
Yousuf Zetuna
(1999-03-10 ) 10 March 1999 (age 25)
Unattached
Centre-forward
183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Right
[ 45]
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred Foot
Refs
Zidane Iqbal
(2003-04-27 ) 27 April 2003 (age 21)
FC Utrecht (#14)
Central midfielder
181 cm (5 ft 11+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 46]
Danilo Al-Saed
(1999-02-24 ) 24 February 1999 (age 25)
SC Heerenveen (#24)
Left-winger
178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Right
[ 47]
Hussein Ali
(2002-03-01 ) 1 March 2002 (age 22)
SC Heerenveen (#15)
Right-back
183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Right
[ 48]
Blnd Hassan
(2003-08-12 ) 12 August 2003 (age 21)
De Graafschap (#26)
Left-winger
183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Right
[ 49]
Roman Doulashi
(2005-08-07 ) 7 August 2005 (age 19)
Roda U21
Centre-back
193 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Left
[ 50]
Arian Sevok
(1998-03-25 ) 25 March 1998 (age 26)
NSC Nijkerk (#25)
Goalkeeper
180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Right
[ 51]
Manuel Iylia
(2004-05-05 ) 5 May 2004 (age 20)
Unattached
Central midfielder
168 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Right
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred Foot
Refs
Mohanad Jeahze
(1997-04-10 ) 10 April 1997 (age 27)
Lillestrøm SK
Left-back
179 cm (5 ft 10+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Left
[ 53] [ 54]
Marko Farji
(2004-03-16 ) 16 March 2004 (age 20)
Strømsgodset IF (#21)
Left-winger
184 cm (6 ft 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 55]
Aimar Sher
(2002-12-20 ) 20 December 2002 (age 21)
Sarpsborg 08 FF (#6)
Central midfielder
175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Right
[ 56]
Mohammed Abbas
(2000-02-18 ) 18 February 2000 (age 24)
KFUM Oslo (#22)
Centre-Back
Right
Hayder Altai
(1998-07-08 ) 8 July 1998 (age 26)
Unattached
Centre-back
193 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Right
[ 57]
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred foot
Refs
Amir Al-Ammari
(1997-07-27 ) 27 July 1997 (age 27)
KS Cracovia
Central midfielder
182 cm (5 ft 11+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Left
[ 58]
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred Foot
Refs
Rayan Demirci
(2008-01-11 ) 11 January 2008 (age 16)
Porto U17
Central midfielder
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred Foot
Refs
Hussein Shehait
(2006-01-21 ) 21 January 2006 (age 18)
CSA Steaua București youth
Centre-back
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred foot
Refs
Youssef Amyn
(2003-08-21 ) 21 August 2003 (age 21)
Al Wehda FC
Left-winger
172 cm (5 ft 7+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 59]
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred foot
Refs
Adam Rasheed
(2006-07-10 ) 10 July 2006 (age 18)
NK Maribor
Centre-back
183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Right
[ 60]
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred Foot
Refs
Noah Darvich
(2006-09-25 ) 25 September 2006 (age 18)
FC Barcelona Atlètic (#21)
Attacking midfielder
184 cm (6 ft 1 ⁄2 in)
Left
[ 61]
Kumel Al-Rekabe
(2004-08-19 ) 19 August 2004 (age 20)
Leganés B
Goalkeeper
Ali Mohammad Hatem
(2002-11-08 ) 8 November 2002 (age 22)
Las Rozas B
Left-winger
182 cm (5 ft 11+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
Kaleem Shabout
(2001-01-18 ) 18 January 2001 (age 23)
RSD Alcalá
Centre-back
196 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Right
[ 62]
Maill Lundgren
(2001-06-01 ) 1 June 2001 (age 23)
Real Murcia
Midfielder
177 cm (5 ft 9+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 63]
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred foot
Refs
Montader Madjed
(2005-04-07 ) 7 April 2005 (age 19)
Hammarby IF (Allsvenskan) (#38)
Right-winger
182 cm (5 ft 11+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Left
[ 64]
Ahmed Qasem
(2003-07-12 ) 12 July 2003 (age 21)
IF Elfsborg (Allsvenskan) (#18)
Right-winger
183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Left
[ 65]
Allan Mohideen
(1993-11-11 ) 11 November 1993 (age 31)
Utsiktens BK (Superettan ) (#4)
Right-back
176 cm (5 ft 9+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 66]
Amar Muhsin
(1997-12-27 ) 27 December 1997 (age 26)
IK Brage (Superettan)
Centre-forward
190 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Left
[ 67]
Amin Al-Hamawi
(2003-12-17 ) 17 December 2003 (age 20)
Sandvikens IF (Superettan)
Centre-forward
181 cm (5 ft 11+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 68]
Ahmed Yasin
(1991-04-22 ) 22 April 1991 (age 33)
Örebro SK (Superettan)
Right-winger
184 cm (6 ft 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 69]
Lucas Shlimon
(2003-02-15 ) 15 February 2003 (age 21)
Örebro SK (Superettan) (#22)
Central midfielder
Right
[ 70]
Hady Saleh Karim
(1997-09-11 ) 11 September 1997 (age 27)
Trelleborgs FF (Superettan) (#)
Central midfielder
[ 71]
Josef Al-Imam
(2004-07-27 ) 27 July 2004 (age 20)
BK Olympic (Ettan) (#3)
Centre-back
184 cm (6 ft 1 ⁄2 in)
Left
[ 72]
Lass Hamawand
(2004-07-26 ) 26 July 2004 (age 20)
Torns IF (Ettan) (#22)
Central midfielder
[ 73]
Mustafa Saleh
(2004-04-27 ) 27 April 2004 (age 20)
Örebro Syrianska IF (Ettan)
Centre-back
192 cm (6 ft 3+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 74]
Marwan Baze
(1998-02-03 ) 3 February 1998 (age 26)
IF Sylvia
Central midfielder
183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Right
[ 75]
Al-Hussain Shaker
Östers IF youth
Central midfielder
Right
Ahmed Saeed
Djurgårdens IF youth
Right-winger
Martin Haddad
(1999-09-08 ) 8 September 1999 (age 25)
Huddinge
Centre-back
182 cm (5 ft 11+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 76]
Hani Nesajer
(2005-01-10 ) 10 January 2005 (age 19)
Österlen FF
Goalkeeper
[ 77]
Nadeem Omar
(2001-08-20 ) 20 August 2001 (age 23)
Unattached
Goalkeeper
187 cm (6 ft 1+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 78]
Alai Ghasem
(2003-02-16 ) 16 February 2003 (age 21)
Unattached
Right-back
184 cm (6 ft 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 79]
Aysar Qasim Mohammed
(2002-09-01 ) 1 September 2002 (age 22)
Unattached
Left-winger
168 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Right
[ 80]
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Refs
Ali Ali
(2005-01-04 ) 4 January 2005 (age 19)
Esenler Erokspor youth
Goalkeeper
[ 83]
Mohanad Jeahze playing for Hammarby . The left-back has roots from the Iraqi city of Samawah and has represented the national team 4 times.
Player
Date of birth
Club
Position
Height
Preferred foot
Refs
Justin Meram
(1988-12-04 ) 4 December 1988 (age 35)
Michigan Stars FC (NISA ) (#19)
Left-winger
185 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Right
[ 84]
Jayddin Nassir
2009
Slammers FC
These are expatriate Iraqi players formerly selected and now retired.
Player
Date of birth
Int. caps
Int. goals
Position
Height
Preferred foot
Refs
Anmar Almubaraki
(1991-07-01 ) 1 July 1991 (age 33)
1
0
Attacking midfielder
173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Right
[ 85]
Brwa Nouri
(1987-01-23 ) 23 January 1987 (age 37)
9
1
Defensive midfielder
177 cm (5 ft 9+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 86]
David Haidar
(1992-06-05 ) 5 June 1992 (age 32)
0
0
Centre-back
188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Right
[ 87]
Hawbir Mustafa
(1993-09-23 ) 23 September 1993 (age 31)
1
0
Right-back
173 cm (5 ft 8 in)
Left
[ 88]
Kais Al-Ani
(1997-03-29 ) 29 March 1997 (age 27)
0
0
Goalkeeper
196 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Left
[ 89]
Murad Gerdi
(1986-03-07 ) 7 March 1986 (age 38)
1
0
Defensive midfielder
174 cm (5 ft 8+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 90]
Rebin Asaad
(1994-10-31 ) 31 October 1994 (age 30)
0
0
Defensive midfielder
175 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Right
[ 91]
Shwan Jalal
(1983-08-14 ) 14 August 1983 (age 41)
0
0
Goalkeeper
188 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Left
[ 92]
Yaser Kasim
(1991-05-10 ) 10 May 1991 (age 33)
21
3
Central midfielder
181 cm (5 ft 11+ 1 ⁄2 in)
Right
[ 93]
General Statistics Venues Results Players Goals World Cup Finals Asian Cup Finals Other tournaments Noted rivalries Notable matches Other FA teams
West Asia (WAFF ) Central Asia (CAFA ) South Asia (SAFF ) East Asia (EAFF ) Southeast Asia (AFF ) Defunct Former