Sports fandom is a universal phenomenon. But in Iraq, soccer, the country’s most popular sport, has a greater meaning than usual — it’s like an escape from the uncertainty in life, a source of camaraderie and even a binding force of nationalism.
Joy in the strife-torn nation as the national football team beats Socceroos
BANGKOK: Sports fandom is a universal phenomenon. But in Iraq, soccer, the country’s most popular sport, has a greater meaning than usual — it’s like an escape from the uncertainty in life, a source of camaraderie and even a binding force of nationalism.
On ‘Friday the 13th’, the game again helped spark a rare source of shared joy in the divided sectarian nation, when Iraq stunned favourites Australia 3-1 in the Asian Cup in Bangkok. The Iraqis were ecstatic, while the Australians were booed off the field with their hopes in tatters.
Despite the bombings, kidnappings and killings, power blackouts and fuel shortages, passion for football endures in a country that used to be a dominant regional force and qualified for the 1986 World Cup in Mexico. They just missed out on a bronze medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics, beating Portugal and Australia along the way. Their run to the final of the Asian Games in Doha last year was greeted back home with sustained gunfire that etched the sky with red streaks of tracer bullets. People even danced on the streets. They lost the crunch match to Qatar, but it was a glimmer of light for the war-weary residents.
Since those glory days, coach Akram Salman has been fired after they failed to get past the group stages of the Gulf Cup in January. In his place has come Brazil’s Jorvan Vieira, 53, who took charge in May. Vieira is a brave man. Before him, at least three coaches of the team had quit because of death threats; one was even murdered. He admits it is hard, but not as hard as for his players. “I don’t have one person in this group who hasn’t lost someone from their family,” Vieira says. “But they never mix politics in the team. They never talk about it. I have Sunni and I have Shiite and there is no problem.”
On Friday, in the Thai capital, the Socceroos fell behind after a 22nd-minute goalkeeping clanger by Mark Schwarzer, only to equalise through Mark Viduka but they were badly exposed defensively again for the Iraqis to wrap it up with two more goals. Iraq now share the lead in Group A with hosts Thailand, who beat Oman 2-0 earlier in the day, and are favourites to go into the quarterfinals.
Iraqi football has been through dire times since the US-led 2003 invasion with its stadiums wrecked, little money for equipment, and rampant violence. Travelling is so dangerous that the Iraqi league has been divided into three regions while the national team plays its home matches in Amman.
The Brazilian brings a wealth of experience to his role. Despite being sacked last November as coach of Saudi Arabian side Al Taei, he has previously managed clubs in Oman, Qatar and Kuwait, as well as the Malaysian U-20 side. “This win is a tremendous boost. We are now ready for anything,” Vieira adds.
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