‘We are fighters’: Iraq aim to shock rivals at 2026 World Cup

Twenty hours on a bus, a charter plane out of the Middle East, and a one-off game carrying the expectations of 48 million people: Iraq’s journey to the 2026 World Cup was not for the faint-hearted. The Lions of Mesopotamia were the final country to secure their spot at this summer’s tournament, after a gruelling qualification campaign that saw them play 21 matches over the space of more than two years. Recommended Stories list of 4 items end of list If that process wasn’t difficult enough, the team then had to undertake a mammoth journey to Mexico for their intercontinental playoff final, after the US-Israel attacks on Iran caused travel chaos in the Middle East. Many of the players made an overland trip from Iraq to Jordan before waiting 24 hours to board a delayed flight out of the region. “By the time they got to Mexico, I had to give them three days off to recover from the whole trip,” Iraq coach Graham Arnold told Al Jazeera. “It was a tough trip. But I said to them, ‘Don’t use it as an excuse’.” His players were certainly listening. Iraq shut out all of the distractions to defeat Bolivia 2-1 in Monterrey and secure World Cup qualification for the first time since 1986. The first goal scorer on that famous March night was Ali Al-Hamadi, a 24-year-old forward who has spent the season on loan at English side Luton Town. …