Category: Features

ali adnan, Club Football, Expat, Features, Hassanane Balal, Iraq

In-depth Analysis: Is Ali Adnan’s Resurgence The Reason Udinese Have Turned Their Season Around?

Recent years of have seen Udinese lingering in and around the relegation zone for most of the season. In a team that was desperately struggling, many were left to question Ali Adnan’s abilities given that he was unable to earn any gametime in a supposedly poor side. Many raised valid questions, including various media outlets who linked the Iraqi international with moves away from the … Continue reading In-depth Analysis: Is Ali Adnan’s Resurgence The Reason Udinese Have Turned Their Season Around?

Hassanane Balal1 Comment
Corruption, Features, Hassanane Balal, Nashat Akram, News

Nashat Akram & Hawar Mulla Mohammed Invited By FC Twente To Begin Their Careers As Football Directors

Cult heroes, Nashat Akram and Hawar Mulla Mohammed, have both embarked on a new quest to return Iraqi football to its golden era. Known for their tremendous footballing skills on the pitch, fans can now look to Nashat and Hawar to guide Iraqi football once again, just as they did whilst they were donning the famous green jersey. Both players have been viewed as footballing … Continue reading Nashat Akram & Hawar Mulla Mohammed Invited By FC Twente To Begin Their Careers As Football Directors

Hassanane Balal1 Comment
ali adnan, Expat, Features, Hassanane Balal, Iraq, Iraq FA, Nashat Akram

It’s The Duty Of Every Iraqi Football Fan To Support Ali Adnan At Udinese

Iraqis don’t like to hold back their opinions when it comes to football. One can argue that it’s one of the reasons that we love the sport. It gives us an opportunity to discuss, share ideas and even quarrel. For all it’s pains, football brings people together and is one of the few remaining things that bring happiness to us as a nation given the … Continue reading It’s The Duty Of Every Iraqi Football Fan To Support Ali Adnan At Udinese

Hassanane Balal2 Comments
Expat, Features, Guest Writer, Hassanane Balal, Iraq, World Cup u17, Youth Football

5 Reasons Why Iraq Struggles To Produce Quality Young Football Players

Only a real sceptic would argue that there were no positives to be taken from the 2017 World Cup U-17 campaign that saw Iraq defeated by Mali in the last 16 round. However, it is important to acknowledge that the team that is supposedly the best in Asia ended up crashing in the final stages of the tournament. The last two fixtures against England and … Continue reading 5 Reasons Why Iraq Struggles To Produce Quality Young Football Players

Hassanane Balal1 Comment
Features, Hassanane Balal, Iraq, World Cup u17, Youth Football

2017 World Cup U-17 Review – Iraq’s Hopes Come Crashing Down After A Promising Start

Iraq’s exit at the hands of Mali in the last 16 round of the 2017 World Cup U-17 tournament may be considered a reality check given the nature of the defeat. Expectations were high going into India 2017, where Mohamed Dawood could lead the Lions of Mesopotamia to a respectable finish. The highflying forward was recently ranked by The Guardian as one of the world’s … Continue reading 2017 World Cup U-17 Review – Iraq’s Hopes Come Crashing Down After A Promising Start

Hassanane Balal1 Comment
Ammo Baba, Corruption, Features, Hassanane Balal, Iraq, Iraq FA, Iraq Olympics Football

Torture, Threats and Imprisonment – How Uday Saddam Hussein Destroyed Iraqi Football

Unlike the current state of Iraq’s national team, the 60’s signaled the start of an extraordinary era for Iraqi football. By far the greatest team in the Arab world, Iraq was among the best teams in all of the Continent. The national team contained an array of talented footballers who went on to achieve fantastic successes over the next few decades, winning the Arab Cup … Continue reading Torture, Threats and Imprisonment – How Uday Saddam Hussein Destroyed Iraqi Football

Hassanane BalalLeave a comment
Club Football, Corruption, Features, Guest Writer, Hassanane Balal, Iraq, transfers

5 Reasons Why We Don’t See More Iraqi Footballers In Europe

With the transfer window upon us and a large number of Iraqi footballers likely to be on the move this summer, we wanted to examine the multitude of reasons why only a limited number of Iraqi footballers have ever transferred to the top European leagues. This has always been the case with Iraqi footballers and includes even the ‘Golden Generation’ of players who defied all odds to win the … Continue reading 5 Reasons Why We Don’t See More Iraqi Footballers In Europe

Hassanane Balal2 Comments
Corruption, Features, Hassanane Balal, Iraq, Radhi Shenaishil

Feature: “One Step Forward, Ten Steps Back” – Radhi Shenaishil Fired As Iraq Coach

As per the norm in Iraq, any form of positive progress must be resisted with maximum hostility. Every one step in the right direction will inevitably be met by ten other steps backwards.  The Iraqi national team is of course no exception to this rule, where countless accounts of corruption and unethical behaviour has created a spiral of failure for all those involved in the sport. Sadly, this … Continue reading Feature: “One Step Forward, Ten Steps Back” – Radhi Shenaishil Fired As Iraq Coach

Hassanane Balal2 Comments
Features, Hassanane Balal, Iraq, Mohannad Abdul Raheem

Feature: Is Mohannad Abdul-Raheem The Right Man To Lead Iraq’s Attack?

It is no secret that the Iraqi national team’s performances and results over the last year have fallen far short of expectations. In fact, even the most biased and hardcore Iraqi fans have not been without their own criticisms of the current national team, so much so that a selected number of fans and media outlets have described this current squad as one of the nation’s weakest ever. A major … Continue reading Feature: Is Mohannad Abdul-Raheem The Right Man To Lead Iraq’s Attack?

Hassanane Balal2 Comments
Corruption, Features, Guest Writer, Iraq, Iraq FA, Iraq Olympics Football, Rio2016

Feature: “Iraq’s 2004 Olympics Respite”

The following article is a direct translation of extracts taken from French sports website SoFoot.com, featuring IraqFootball.me’s Hassanane Balal and IraqSports’ Hassanin Mubarak. Both individuals were interviewed by journalist William Vénétitay, whose article can be read in full here. This article remains the property of SoFoot.com and has been solely translated for Iraqi football fans who do not speak French – this article is not the … Continue reading Feature: “Iraq’s 2004 Olympics Respite”

Hassanane Balal2 Comments