It has been a protracted, relentless journey to the World Cup for Iraq’s centre-forward Aymen Hussein, who propelled his nation to the event for the primary time in 40 years when he scored a successful objective in opposition to Bolivia in Mexico within the qualifiers.
When he was simply 12 and already taking part in soccer for a neighborhood group, his father was brutally murdered whereas shopping for supplies to construct the household residence.
A number of years after that, his older brother was kidnapped, and he has not been heard from since.
“I made a decision to give up taking part in soccer to deal with my household, however my mom refused,” Hussein stated in an interview.
“She requested me to proceed taking part in.”
His mom advised him: “It’s your dream. I do know that. And you must obtain it.”
And he has held on to that dream ever since.
A violent legacy
Born in 1996 within the village of al-Safra, in al-Hawija district in north-central Iraq, Hussein grew up in a household who made their dwelling farming and elevating sheep.
Tragedy struck in 2008 when his father, a soldier within the Iraqi military, was killed by al-Qaeda, which managed Kirkuk and the encircling areas on the time.
“He went to purchase some supplies for our new, under-construction home. A number of hours later, we acquired a name saying Your father has been killed and his physique is within the hospital’.”
He had been fatally shot within the coronary heart.
“We didn’t imagine it at first. However then we went to the hospital to search out my father’s lifeless physique mendacity there. It was a catastrophe to all of us.”
Hussein begged his household to maneuver away from the village, however his older brother, who joined the Iraqi military after his father was murdered, refused.
So, as an alternative of fleeing, Hussein joined the Iraqi Youth soccer group. It was on his return from a coaching camp in Turkiye just a few years later that he realized his brother had disappeared – kidnapped throughout a interval during which ISIL (ISIS) had taken management of the world.
“We’ve heard nothing about him since,” he says.
‘I used to be able to play without spending a dime’
Amidst the tragedy, Hussein’s soccer profession was taking off.
In 2012, a turning level got here when he was scouted for the Dohuk soccer membership, one of many Iraq Stars League groups in Iraq’s Kurdistan area.
Hussein signed a contract for 18 million Iraqi dinar ($14,000) and a month-to-month wage of 1.2 million Iraqi dinar ($920).
“Actually, I used to be able to play without spending a dime,” he recollects. “Chances are you’ll not think about what it meant to me to play with gamers from the Iraqi nationwide group at the moment. Enjoying with Dohuk was the dream of my life at the moment.”
Eighteen months later, he moved to Baghdad to play for Iraq Stars League groups together with Al-Shorta, Al-Talaba and Al-Zawraa, changing into the league’s high scorer. Most just lately, he was contracted at Qatar’s Al Khor membership earlier than shifting again to Iraq to affix Al Karma.
On a contract price a reported $1m, he has change into Iraq’s most costly footballer.
Via all of it, Hussein says, his father and brother have remained on the forefront of his thoughts.
“I’ve at all times wished that my father and brother have been nonetheless alive to see what I’ve achieved and share the moments of happiness.”
He recollects among the proudest moments he needs he might have shared.
In 2016, he scored the second objective in further time, beating Qatar to the final Olympic qualifying place for Asian nations on the Rio de Janeiro Video games in a third-place playoff match on the AFC Underneath-23 Asian Cup Championship in Doha.
In 2023, Aymen was recognised as the highest scorer within the twenty fifth Arabian Gulf Cup. He netted three objectives, which led his group to win the cup.
In 2024, Hussein scored one of many two objectives that enabled Iraq to qualify for the Paris Olympics with a 2-1 win over Indonesia within the third-place playoff.
The lions roar
The final time the Lions of Mesopotamia – as Iraq’s nationwide group is thought – certified for a World Cup was in 1986, a decade earlier than Hussein was born.
Now, all eyes are on him as followers financial institution on his participation to take the group as far by the event as potential.
“Aymen is a reputation that wants no introduction. His efficiency speaks for him not solely in Iraq, however within the area and Arab soccer,” Jalal Hassan, Iraqi goalkeeper and vice-captain, tells Al Jazeera.
“He’s a high-quality striker. The group will completely want him, and his presence will make the distinction within the World Cup. We predict loads from him.”
Having been positioned in Group 9 with France, Senegal and Norway, Iraq faces stiff competitors from the off.
Hussein Saeed, the previous Iraq captain and high nationwide scorer with 78 objectives beneath his belt, is hopeful. “Aymen’s affect is obvious on the group and all gamers. He, as an individual, has a stunning and humble persona,” Saeed tells Al Jazeera.
“I hope he can use this optimistic trait to the advantage of the group within the coming World Cup, taking the group to the post-group stage.”
Zaid Alsaraj, an Iraqi soccer journalist, says, “All of us want that our group and all gamers, specifically Abu Tubar [the “Hatchet Man”, as Iraqis affectionately refer to Hussein], are absolutely ready mentally, bodily and technically, when the time comes.”
As for himself, Hussein says he simply hopes that among the followers will have the ability to attend – although will probably be powerful.
“It isn’t simple to get a US visa. Really, it’s nearly inconceivable for Iraqis, particularly right now, because the US-Iranian conflict continues to be occurring, ” Iraqi soccer fan Saif Al-Bayati tells Al Jazeera.
“This isn’t the one difficulty. The value of a single ticket is greater than $3,000. Going there and spending not less than two weeks will break the bank. It might be greater than $15,000. That is past the power of any peculiar Iraqi fan.”
