That came way back at Rome 1960 when the late Abdul Wahid Aziz claimed a weightlifting bronze. The iconic Iraqi lifter was only denied silver by account of being 400 grams heavier than his Singaporean opponent who had hauled the exact same weight. Since then, Games have come and gone and the nation has continued to cling to the fading memories of that singular medal.
The closest that drought came to ending was at Athens 2004 when the football side stunned Portugal in their opener on a march to the semi-finals. Featuring the core of a golden generation of talent that would lift the AFC Asian Cup three years later, Iraq fell 1-0 to a mighty Italian side, graced by the likes of Pirlo, Chiellini, De Rossi and Gilardino, in the third-place play-off in Thessaloniki.
Twenty years on from that unforgettable Greek summer, Iraq are set to enter their sixth Men’s Olympic Football Tournament and will do so confident of again causing a real global stir.
Led by tournament top-scorer, Ali Jasim, the young Lions edged past Indonesia in the third-place play-off at this year’s AFC U-23 Asian Cup to secure their Parisian passport. With a mix of some dynamic young talent and strong overage options from a senior team that’s won four from four so far in FIFA World Cup qualification, Iraq are aiming to end their nation’s 64-year medal wait.
Iraq’s Group B fixtures
Wednesday 24 July Iraq v Ukraine | 19:00 | Stade de Lyon
Saturday 27 July Argentina v Iraq | 15:00 | Stade de Lyon
Tuesday 30 July Morocco v Iraq | 17:00 | Stade de Nice
(All times are local )
The coach: Radhi Shenaishil
The former long-serving national defender is a well-regarded, astute, mentor who has been a constant in his nation’s various moments of need. With frequent upheavals down the years, the 57-year-old has taken charge of the senior side on four separate occasions. This is his second run with the Olympic team and that wealth of knowledge of all levels of Iraqi football should serve the young Lions well in France.
Olympics history
Previous participations: 5 (Moscow 1980, Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988, Athens 2004, Rio 2016)
Best result: Fourth place (Athens 2004)
It’s perhaps no coincidence that Iraq’s five Men’s Olympic Football Tournament outings have corresponded with the nation’s two ‘Golden Generations’. The 1980s were the high-water mark for the country, with the side reaching the 1986 World Cup and making three straight Olympics appearances. The crop of players that featured at Moscow 1980 made it to the quarters, where they fell to eventual silver medallists East Germany.
The outstanding 2004 generation, featuring continental stars Younis Mahmoud and Nashat Akram, was followed by the group that headed to Rio 2016. That side drew all three group matches, including a scoreless tussle with the hosts and eventual champions, to make a disappointing early exit.
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