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In March this year, the Iraqi team qualified for the World Cup, ending a 40-year drought. The Mesopotamian Lions secured their place in the 48-team tournament this summer with a 2-1 win over Bolivia in the continental play-offs.
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Iraq will face Norway, France and Senegal in Group One, hoping their second World Cup appearance will be more memorable than their first in Mexico in 1986. The players also hope to join a special club with Ahmed Radi.
Iraq’s participation in the 1986 World Cup was short-lived. It lost all three group games, two of which were clean sheets, and scored just one goal. This goal came from Ruddy in the 2-1 loss to Belgium and was the only goal scored by the country at this World Cup.
It was fitting that Ruddy scored. During his career, he played 121 times for the national team and scored 62 goals. Of those 62 goals, eight were scored during the 1986 World Cup qualifying campaign.
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Radi went on to help Iraq win two Arab Cup titles and was named the 1988 Asian Player of the Year.
Despite not participating in the World Cup, Iraq has enjoyed success in the region. Won the AFC Asian Cup championship in 2007 and reached the top 16 in the last two Asian Cups; entered the quarter-finals of the 2025 Arab Cup; and won the Arabian Gulf Cup in 2023 after consecutively reaching the semi-finals.
Iraq face a tough group but are unbeaten in their past six games and will have more European players on their roster than in 1986. If they fail to pull off a win, will Ruddy have anyone in the goalscoring club?