Soccer Iraq

Last updated
Soccer Iraq
SoccerIraq Logo.png
Type of site
 Sports journalism
Social media agency
Available inEnglish
URL www.socceriraq.net
Launched2015

Soccer Iraq is an English-language Iraqi website and social media agency providing a variety of news, statistics and services for Iraqi football, ranging from coverage on the Iraq national football team and its players to news on the Iraq Stars League.

Contents

On 17 May 2021, Soccer Iraq partnered with Al-Shorta Sports Club to manage the club's official English-language social media profiles. On 17 May 2023, Soccer Iraq reached an agreement with the Iraq Football Association (IFA) to launch and administer new social media channels for the Iraq national football team in English.

History

Soccer Iraq launched on 11 March 2015 with the aim of creating an English-based website covering Iraq's national football team, the Lions of Mesopotamia, [1] as well as the domestic club competitions and the nation's foreign-based players. [2] In 2017, Soccer Iraq assisted the Iraq Football Association (IFA) in the process of verifying the IFA's official social media profiles. [3] In 2020, Soccer Iraq helped facilitate Safaa Hadi's move to the Russian Premier League by streamlining the communication of the Russian Football Union and PFC Krylia Sovetov with Al-Shorta SC regarding the completion of administrative procedures. [4]

Soccer Iraq has also been involved in research into the earliest league and cup tournaments played in Iraq. [5] Several current and former international players are in regular interaction with the website's posts on social media. [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] The website has published several interviews since its launch – most recently with Gonzalo Rodríguez García, Osama Rashid, Mohannad Abdul-Raheem, Rebin Sulaka, Lorival Santos, Marin Ion, Justin Meram and Ali Adnan. [11]

Providing Information

Throughout the years, Soccer Iraq has provided information regarding the Iraqi game to many major news networks and has been relied on by news organisations around the world, such as International Business Times, [12] La Gazzetta dello Sport, [13] Marca, [14] L'Equipe, [15] Goal, [16] [17] Al Jazeera, [18] ESPN FC, [19] Asian Football Confederation, [20] [21] Diario AS, [22] Daily Mail, Daily Express, [23] Sport.ro, [24] Major League Soccer, [25] Panorama, [26] Mundo Deportivo, [27] The Washington Post, [28] The National, [29] Fox Sports, [30] [31] Transfermarkt, [32] RT, Emarat Al Youm, [33] 90min.com, [34] SPORTbible, [35] Vancouver Whitecaps FC, [36] Tuttosport, [37] Sportskeeda, [38] Football Manager, [39] Telemundo Deportes, [40] Het Nieuwsblad, [41] Corriere dello Sport, [42] Le Matin, [43] Index.hr, [44] Bola, [45] Sport1, [46] L'essentiel, [47] Vanity Fair, [48] NOS, [49] Algemeen Dagblad, [50] Thanh Niên, [51] Siol, [52] La Nación, [53] NRC Handelsblad, [54] Cumhuriyet, [55] Al Akhbar, [56] Radiotelevizija Slovenija, [57] Kurir, [58] El Comercio, [59] La República, [60] El Liberal, [61] La Prensa, [62] Koran Sindo, [63] Žurnal24, [64] DV, [65] The New Arab, [66] TyC Sports, [67] Nova Sport 1, [68] HobbyConsolas [69] and Kurdistan 24. [70]

Partnerships

On 17 May 2021, Iraqi club Al-Shorta SC announced on its official website that it had partnered with Soccer Iraq to manage its English-language social media profiles and streamline its digital content across all accounts. The move came after Al-Shorta's participation in Asia's top club competition, the AFC Champions League, with the club appointing Soccer Iraq due to its "six years of experience in social media and digital marketing". [71] On 29 June 2021, Al-Shorta became the first Iraqi club to receive Twitter verification, through its English-language account. [72]

On 17 May 2023, Soccer Iraq reached an agreement with the Iraq Football Association (IFA) to launch and manage official English-language social media channels for the Iraq national football team, with the IFA commending the distinctive style of Soccer Iraq's body of work in digital media and its pioneering of English-language coverage of football in the country. [73]

Player of the Year

Soccer Iraq launched an Iraq Player of the Year award for the first time in 2021. Mohammed Qasim Majid won the inaugural award and was congratulated by his club. [74] [75]

YearRankPlayerPositionPoints (%)
2021 [76] 1st Mohammed Qasim Midfielder59.4
2nd Fahad Talib Goalkeeper19.6
3rd Ahmed Ibrahim Defender10.6
2022 [77] 1st Jalal Hassan Goalkeeper52.2
2nd Aymen Hussein Forward30.2
3rd Manaf Younis Defender9.0
2023 [78] 1st Ibrahim Bayesh Midfielder42.9
2nd Ali Al-Hamadi Forward38.2
3rd Merchas Doski Defender5.0

Goal of the Season

Soccer Iraq launched the first ever Goal of the Season competition for the Iraqi Premier League starting from the 2016–17 season. [79] Al-Zawraa midfielder Ali Raheem won the award in both of its first two seasons. [80]

SeasonScorerNationalityForAgainstStadiumDate
2016–17 Ali Raheem Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq Al-Zawraa Al-Shorta Al-Shaab Stadium 10 May 2017
2017–18 Ali Raheem Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq Al-Zawraa Al-Hussein Al-Shaab Stadium 30 May 2018
2018–19 Mohanad Ali Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq Al-Shorta Al-Naft Al-Shaab Stadium 4 March 2019
2019–20 Saad Abdul-Amir Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq Al-Shorta Al-Minaa Al-Shaab Stadium 7 March 2020
2020–21 Joseph Nathaniel Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria Al-Hudood Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Shaab Stadium 13 February 2021
2021–22 Alaa Abbas Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Al-Karkh Al-Shaab Stadium 20 October 2021
2022–23 Ameer Sabah Flag of Iraq.svg  Iraq Al-Shorta Naft Maysan Maysan Olympic Stadium 15 July 2023

Team of the Decade

In late 2019, Soccer Iraq commemorated the end of the 2010s with the Soccer Iraq Team of the Decade which was voted for by fans over a two-month period via a series of Twitter polls. After several thousands of votes, 28 players were narrowed down to the final eleven and the team was revealed on 31 December 2019. [81] The selection of Mohanad Ali in the Team of the Decade was discussed by the official Asian Football Confederation broadcast during Iraq's match with Iran in 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. [82]

2010–2019 [83]
GoalkeeperDefendersMidfieldersForwards

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iraq Stars League</span> Association football league in Iraq

The Iraq Stars League, is the highest level of the Iraqi football league system. Contested by 20 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Iraqi Premier Division League. It is governed by the Iraqi Pro League Association.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Al-Shorta SC</span> Iraqi sports club

Al-Shorta Sports Club is an Iraqi sports club based in Al-Rusafa, Baghdad. It has teams in 19 different sports, and the best known section of the club is the football team, whose origins date back to 1932. Al-Shorta was formally established as a sports club in 1978 after a clubs-only policy was introduced to Iraqi football.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in Iraq</span>

There are a wide variety of sports played and followed in Iraq. Football is the most popular sport and hobby in Iraq. Football is a considerable uniting factor, following years of war and unrest. Basketball, swimming, weightlifting, bodybuilding, taekwondo, boxing, kickboxing, and tennis are also popular sports and hobbies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alaa Abdul-Zahra</span> Iraqi footballer (born 1987)

Alaa Abdul-Zahra Khashen Al-Azzawi, is an Iraqi football player who plays for Al-Minaa in the Iraq Stars League and for the Iraq national team.

Mohammed Ali Karim is an Iraqi football defender. As of 2019 he was coaching the Iraq U16 as assistant.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Salam Shaker</span> Iraqi footballer

Salam Shaker Alidad is a football coach and former Iraqi professional footballer who played as a centre-back. He was part of the Iraqi team that finished fourth at the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. He is currently part of the coaching staff at Al-Khor SC

The 2002–03 Iraqi First Division League was the 29th season of the top-tier Iraqi national football league since its establishment in 1974. Organised by the Iraq Football Association (IFA), the league's name was changed to Iraqi First Division League, and it started on 6 September 2002.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amjad Kalaf</span> Iraqi footballer

Amjad Kalaf Mansour Al-Muntafiq is an Iraqi former professional footballer who played as a right winger and sometimes as a striker.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohannad Abdul-Raheem</span> Iraqi footballer

Mohannad Abdul-Raheem Karrar, is an Iraqi footballer who plays for Al-Minaa and the Iraq national team. An Olympian, Mohannad is the 2012 Asian Young Footballer of the Year, and the 2012 AFC U-19 Championship's MVP.

Mahdi Kamil Shiltagh is an Iraqi professional midfielder who plays for Al-Talaba and the Iraq national football team.

The 2016–17 Iraqi Premier League was the 43rd season of the Iraqi Premier League, the highest division for Iraqi association football clubs, since its establishment in 1974. The season started on 15 September 2016, and ended on 10 August 2017.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mohanad Ali</span> Iraqi footballer (born 2000)

Mohanad Ali Kadhim Al-Shammari, commonly known in Iraq as Mimi, is an Iraqi professional footballer who plays as a forward for Iraqi club Al-Shorta and the Iraq national team. He is known for his positioning, shooting, heading, close ball control and dribbling.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Baghdad derbies</span> Series of football matches in Iraq

The Baghdad derbies are a series of derby matches between four Baghdad-based football clubs: Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Shorta, Al-Talaba and Al-Zawraa, collectively known as the 'Popular Teams'. They are the four most successful teams in the history of Iraqi football, and league games between the clubs are usually played at the neutral venue of Al-Shaab Stadium to accommodate more spectators. The match between Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Zawraa is often referred to as the Iraqi El Clásico.

The 2018–19 Iraqi Premier League was the 45th season of the Iraqi Premier League, the highest division for Iraqi association football clubs, since its establishment in 1974. The season started on 14 September 2018 and ended on 24 July 2019.

Lorival Alves dos Santos is a Brazilian professional football coach and former player who most recently managed Brazilian club UNIRB FC.

The 2019–20 Iraqi Premier League was the 46th season of the Iraqi Premier League, the highest division for Iraqi association football clubs, since its establishment in 1974. The season started on 18 September 2019 in a double round-robin format, but was postponed after 23 October 2019 due to the 2019–2020 Iraqi protests with matches from the first four rounds having been played.

The 2020–21 Iraqi Premier League was the 47th season of the Iraqi Premier League since its establishment in 1974. The season started on 25 October 2020 and ended on 28 July 2021, with the relegation play-off held on 30 July 2021.

Al-Madain Sport Club, is an Iraqi football team based in Baghdad, that plays in the Iraqi Second Division League.

The 2022–23 season was Al-Shorta's 49th season in the Iraqi Premier League, having featured in all 48 previous editions of the competition. Al-Shorta participated in the Iraqi Premier League as defending champions, as well as the Iraq FA Cup, the Iraqi Super Cup and the Arab Club Champions Cup.

References

  1. ↑ "Soccer Iraq – About Us".
  2. ↑ "Al-Zawraa v Al-Shorta: My experience of a Baghdad Derby". 24 September 2018.
  3. ↑ "Iraq FA receives verification". 16 February 2017.
  4. ↑ "More Than A Game: Football In Iraq". Sideline Scouted. 29 October 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2019.
  5. ↑ "لاول مرة .. تفاصيل أول بطولات الدوري وبطولة الكأس موسم 1948/1949". 31 July 2020.
  6. ↑ "Al-Zawraa 2–1 Al-Samawa". 3 July 2018.
  7. ↑ "Iraq will play Bahrain in the Gulf Cup semi-final on Thursday". 2 December 2019. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26.
  8. ↑ "Osama Rashid is off the mark in this season's Liga Portugal". 1 November 2019.
  9. ↑ "Noor Sabri never lost a penalty shootout in his career". 18 July 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26.
  10. ↑ "MUFC youngster Zidane Iqbal has obtained an Iraqi passport". 20 May 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26.
  11. ↑ "Soccer Iraq – Interviews".
  12. ↑ "Isis: Iraqi anti-Islamic State hero footballer Ali Adnan 'makes it to European football'". International Business Times . 24 June 2015.
  13. ↑ "Ali Adnan, dal passaggio alla Roma alla guerra in Iraq". La Gazzetta dello Sport. 2014.
  14. ↑ "Real Madrid supporters club in Iraq attacked by terrorists – 16 dead". Marca. 13 May 2016.
  15. ↑ "Irak : le gardien Alaa Ahmed a joué le lendemain de la mort de son fils". L'Equipe.
  16. ↑ "Long-range stunner beats 'keeper from 40-yards". Goal.
  17. ↑ "สะเทือนเอเชียนเกมส์! อิรัก U16 ถูกจับได้โกงอายุ". Goal.
  18. ↑ "جوزيف ناثاليان يسجل هدفا مميزا في الدوري العراقي". Al Jazeera.
  19. ↑ "WHAT A STRIKE @SoccerIraq". ESPN FC.
  20. ↑ "MD5 – Group C: Iraq 2-1 IR Iran". Asian Football Confederation.
  21. ↑ "Katanec: We deserve this victory". Asian Football Confederation.
  22. ↑ "Iraq to host 1st international football tournament since 1979". Diario AS. 21 May 2018.
  23. ↑ "ISIS suicide bomb kills dozens football match Iraq". Daily Express. 26 March 2016.
  24. ↑ "De ce merg romanii in Irak?! Cati bani castiga Dorinel si Ion Marin la echipele lor". Sport.ro.
  25. ↑ "Justin Meram wins friendly tournament MVP with Iraq". Major League Soccer.
  26. ↑ "Il viandante Walter Zenga e la panchina dell'Iraq". Panorama. 19 May 2017.
  27. ↑ "La selección de Irak sacrifica una oveja para ahuyentar la mala suerte". Mundo Deportivo. 11 October 2016.
  28. ↑ "Car bomb explosion in Iraq kills youth national soccer team player". The Washington Post .
  29. ↑ "Iraq football legend Adnan Dirjal appointed minister of youth and sports in new cabinet". The National (Abu Dhabi). 7 May 2020.
  30. ↑ "Iraq 'ready and able' to host international matches again". Fox Sports Asia.
  31. ↑ "The AFC Asian Cup 2019 contenders: Iraq". Fox Sports Asia.
  32. ↑ "Iraker Ali vor Absage an Benfica, ManUnited & Juve: "Versuchen, ihn zu überzeugen"". Transfermarkt.
  33. ↑ "بالفيديو: هدف عالمي في الدوري العراقي والمعلق: "هذا لا يحدث كل يوم"". Emarat Al Youm. 14 February 2021.
  34. ↑ "World's Biggest Football Stadium Set to Be Built 'For Free' in Iraq With Reported 135,000 Capacity". 90min.com. 10 March 2018.
  35. ↑ "Iraq's Bashar Resan Played Against Argentina On The Same Day His Mother Passed Away". SPORTbible. 12 October 2018.
  36. ↑ "Adnan scores winner for Iraq in 2-1 win over Uzbekistan". Vancouver Whitecaps FC.
  37. ↑ "Dall'Iraq: "Respinta l'offerta della Juventus per Mohanad Ali"". Tuttosport. 30 January 2019.
  38. ↑ "Hong Kong vs Iraq prediction, preview, team news and more | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifiers". Sportskeeda. 9 June 2021.
  39. ↑ "Iraqi Premier League - Football Manager 2021". Sortitoutsi.
  40. ↑ "ARQUERO ALAA AHMED JUEGA A PESAR DE LA MUERTE DE SU HIJO". Telemundo Deportes.
  41. ↑ "Voetballers Irak offeren schaap en maken einde aan slechte reeks dankzij vier goals van één speler". Het Nieuwsblad. 11 October 2016.
  42. ↑ "Vice-presidente Al-Shorta: "La Juventus segue il più grande talento dell'Iraq"". Corriere dello Sport. 11 April 2019.
  43. ↑ "Il tait le décès de son bébé pour disputer un match". Le Matin.
  44. ↑ "Tragedija iračkog golmana dirnula svijet: Dan nakon smrti sina igrao cijelu utakmicu, a onda se slomio". Index.hr.
  45. ↑ "Anaknya Meninggal, Tangis Kiper Klub Irak Pecah di Akhir Laga". Bola.
  46. ↑ "Keeper verschweigt Tod seines Babys". Sport1 (Germany).
  47. ↑ "Il tait le décès de son bébé pour disputer un match". L'essentiel. 17 February 2018.
  48. ↑ "La favola dei calciatori dell'Ostersund, che vincono grazie a letture, mostre e balletti". Vanity Fair. 27 October 2017.
  49. ↑ "Barcelona en Benfica scoren niet • knotsgekke slotfase bij Young Boys-Atalanta". Nederlandse Omroep Stichting. 23 November 2021.
  50. ↑ "Drie dagen in het spoor van Dick Advocaat bij Irak: 'Ik weet ook wel dat er vreselijke dingen zijn gebeurd'". Algemeen Dagblad.
  51. ↑ "Các đối thủ cùng bảng tuyển Việt Nam chạy đà cho Asian Cup 2019". Thanh Niên. 25 December 2018.
  52. ↑ "Srečko Katanec Iračanom: Nimam čarobne palice". Siol.
  53. ↑ "La oferta irrisoria que hizo la Juventus por Mohanad Ali, la joven promesa del fútbol iraquí". La Nación. 31 January 2019.
  54. ↑ Dupuy, Lisa (31 July 2021). "Dick Advocaat wordt bondscoach van Irak - NRC". NRC. NRC Handelsblad.
  55. ↑ "Dick Advocaat, Irak Milli Takımı'nın başına geçti". Cumhuriyet. 31 July 2021.
  56. ↑ "شاهد... هدف غريب في الدوري العراقي". Al Akhbar.
  57. ↑ "Na derbiju Irak – Iran brez zadetkov". Radiotelevizija Slovenija.
  58. ↑ "PENAL SERIJA O KOJOJ BRUJI SVET: Golman dobio crveni karton, igrač odbranio šut vredan Svetskog prvenstva". Kurir. 19 June 2023.
  59. ↑ "Argentina goleó 4-0 a Iraq en la previa del partido ante Brasil en Arabia". El Comercio. 11 October 2018.
  60. ↑ "Bolivia, en su último partido del 2018, igualó sin goles ante Irak". La República. 19 November 2018.
  61. ↑ "Argentina – Irak: el doble caño iraquí, lo caída del línea y los "tronos" de los jugadores". El Liberal.
  62. ↑ "Argentina golea 4-0 a Irak". La Prensa. 11 October 2018.
  63. ↑ "Media Lokal Sebut Timnas Irak Mundur dari Sepak Bola Asian Games 2018". Koran Sindo.
  64. ↑ "Katanec se je kljub zmagi posul s pepelom". Žurnal24.
  65. ↑ "Mark ársins komið? – Þrumufleygur af löngu færi". DV. 14 February 2021.
  66. ↑ "رسمياً.. هاكن السويدي يستعيد نجمه العراقي أحمد ياسين". The New Arab.
  67. ↑ "Ahmed Radhi, la leyenda del fútbol iraquí, murió por coronavirus". TyC Sports. 21 June 2020.
  68. ↑ "Nejlepší fotbalista v historii Iráku zemřel. Skolil ho koronavirus". Nova Sport 1.
  69. ↑ "¡El incentivo definitivo! Promete una PS5 a cada jugador por ganar al máximo rival". HobbyConsolas. 7 January 2021.
  70. ↑ "Players of Iraqi club abandon match after opposition fans' pro-Saddam chants". Kurdistan 24.
  71. ↑ "Al-Shorta SC partners with Soccer Iraq for English language service". Al-Shorta SC. 17 May 2021.
  72. ↑ "Al-Shorta SC account verified". Al-Shorta SC. 29 June 2021.
  73. ↑ "Soccer Iraq launches official Iraq National Team account in English". Soccer Iraq. 17 May 2023.
  74. ↑ "Mohammed Qasim is named Player of the Year by @SoccerIraq". Al-Shorta SC. 1 January 2022.
  75. ↑ "محمد قاسم يفوز بجوائز أفضل لاعب لعام ٢٠٢١". Al-Shorta. 1 January 2022. Archived from the original on 2022-08-05.
  76. ↑ "Mohammed Qasim is the Soccer Iraq Player of the Year for 2021". Soccer Iraq. 31 December 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  77. ↑ "Jalal Hassan is the Soccer Iraq Player of the Year for 2022". Soccer Iraq. 5 January 2023. Retrieved 5 January 2023.
  78. ↑ "Vote for Iraq's Player of the Year for 2023". Soccer Iraq. 21 December 2023. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  79. ↑ "Soccer Iraq – Domestic Seasons". Archived from the original on 2022-07-30. Retrieved 2019-05-01.
  80. ↑ "Alaa Abbas wins the #SoccerIraq Goal of the Season". Soccer Iraq. 13 July 2022.
  81. ↑ "Soccer Iraq Team of the Decade Revealed". Soccer Iraq. 31 December 2019. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
  82. ↑ "#AsianQualifiers - Full Match - Group A - Iraq vs Islamic Republic of Iran". AFC Asian Cup. 7 September 2021.
  83. ↑ "Soccer Iraq Team of the Decade 2010–2019". Soccer Iraq. 1 January 2020. Archived from the original on 2021-12-26. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.