I Went To Baghdad For Iraq's First World Cup Game In 40 years

Iraq's 40-year absence from the World Cup came to an end on the streets of Baghdad.

As Hussein travels to his motherland to witness Iraq's return to the World Cup for the first time since 1986. A 40-year gap that spans Saddam's dictatorship, the devastation of 2003, and a slow, fragile rebuilding.
Iraq faced Norway. A diverse national squad representing a reunified nation: Kurds, Arabs, Assyrians, Sunnis, Shias, and Christians, all wearing the same shirt.

This video traces that journey. From the trauma of 1986, through the 2003 war, to the unifying 2007 Asian Cup win, to this moment. It's a story about what football means when a country is learning to breathe again.

0:00 – Arrival in Baghdad
1:00 – Experiencing the World Cup during Muharram
2:00 – What is Muharram?
3:00 – Football & the unification of Iraq
5:00 – Experiencing Muharram
6:00 – The Iraqi squad
7:00 – Playing on US soil
8:22 - The game