2026 World Cup: Aymen Hussein makes history for Iraq after personal tragedies
By OnzeActu · · 3 min read
Aymen Hussein reduced the gap by a header (39th) against Norway in the opening match, offering a moment of joy for Iraq returning to a World Cup after 40 years. His career was marked by the death of his father, the kidnapping of his brother and administrative difficulties before the tournament.
The scoresheet told one story — Iraq's 4-1 loss to Norway — but Aymen Hussein wrote another. The Iraqi striker found the header which canceled out Erling Haaland's opener in the 39th minute, offering a precious moment of celebration to Iraqi supporters, returning to the world stage after forty years of absence.
This goal, which will remain as Iraq's second goal in the World Cup finals, was ultimately only a consolation in a match dominated by Norway - and it was then followed, according to the proceedings, by an own goal which erased this moment. “He is the type of player who is very difficult to control in the box and I am very happy and proud of him,” said Iraqi coach Graham Arnold.
Hussein's path to the World Cup could, however, have taken a completely different meaning. Born and trained in a country where football offered moments of unity amid chaos, he grew up in the wake of Iraq's surprise victory at the 2007 Asian Cup — a success achieved by semi-professional players forced to prepare in Jordan due to security concerns at home. This period was marred by violence, including a suicide attack against celebrants in Baghdad after the semi-final, which left dozens dead.
Hussein's personal life was also struck by tragedy. In 2008, when he was 12, his father — a soldier in the Iraqi army — was shot and killed by al-Qaeda while buying materials to build their house. A few years later, his older brother was kidnapped during a period of instability and was never seen again. “I had decided to quit football to take care of my family, but my mother refused,” Hussein said in an interview: it was she who pushed him to pursue his dream, a dream that ultimately led him to guide Iraq to their first World Cup since 1986.
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The road to Qatar/Canada/USA has been rocky for the 30-year-old. His preparation for the tournament was disrupted when, upon his arrival in the United States earlier this month, he was detained and questioned for about seven hours at Chicago's O'Hare Airport before being allowed entry — a situation that was not the same for team photographer Talal Salah, who was not admitted.
On the pitch, Hussein has not disappointed those who follow his progress: since 2023, he has established himself as a regular scorer for the Lions of Mesopotamia, in particular thanks to his heading and his efficiency in the area. During qualifying, he was the great architect of the historic run, scoring 12 goals – more than double the next one – and delivering when it counted, in particular with the victorious penalty in the 2-1 success against Bolivia in Guadalupe in March, which sealed Iraq's place at the World Cup via the inter-confederation play-offs.
However, there were doubts about his form ahead of the competition after a season in which he lacked playing time with his club, Al-Karma. Against Norway, he responded to the skeptics with a mature and combative performance, finding the energy to last 90 minutes despite physical problems. “He had quite a few injuries during the season and for him to last 90 minutes with that energy and score, it was fantastic,” commented Graham Arnold.
If Hussein manages to maintain this level, Iraq can still harbor qualification ambitions in a particularly tough Group I, which also includes France, finalist for the 2022 World Cup, and Senegal.