Aymen Hussein celebrates his goal for Iraq against Norway on Tuesday at Foxborough’s Gillette Stadium [Getty/file photo]
Aymen Hussein made history on Tuesday by becoming the first Iraqi player to score at a World Cup since 1986, finding the net in the Lions of Mesopotamia’s group-stage defeat to Norway.
His header in the 39th minute briefly brought Iraq level at 1-1, sparking celebrations among Iraqi fans at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, and among supporters watching at home and across the diaspora.
Although Iraq ultimately fell to a 4-1 defeat, Hussein’s goal ensured his name would be etched into Iraqi football history, capping a remarkable journey marked by personal tragedy, perseverance and an unwavering determination to help his country return to football’s biggest stage.
Born in 1996 in Hawija, in Iraq’s northern Kirkuk province, Hussein grew up amid years of conflict and instability following the US-led invasion of Iraq, sectarian violence and the rise of the Islamic State group.
A talented prospect, he joined the youth ranks of Al-Alam SC in neighbouring Salahuddin province in 2009 at the age of 13 after being spotted by a club official.
One year earlier, tragedy struck the family when his father, an Iraqi army officer, was shot dead by Al-Qaeda while queuing to buy materials to build the family home.
Hussein has said he became determined to support his family after his father’s murder, seeing football as both an escape and a path towards a professional career.
In 2014, another tragedy hit the family. Hussein’s brother, a police officer, was kidnapped by Islamic State militants in a rural area of Kirkuk during the group’s occupation of large parts of northern Iraq.
He has never been heard from since.
Following these painful events, Hussein considered giving up football to care for his family, but his mother encouraged him to continue pursuing his dream.
Dreams come true
Hussein has now become only the second Iraqi player to score at a World Cup, after Ahmed Radhi netted in Iraq’s 2-1 defeat to Belgium at the 1986 tournament in Mexico.
Asian football journalist John Duerden told The New Arab that it was only fitting that someone who had endured so much off the pitch should deliver such a historic moment on it.
“It was fitting that he was the one to score Iraq’s first World Cup goal since 1986, and anybody, football fan or not, should have rejoiced with him,” he said.
“He is a talisman in attack for Iraq, as the Norwegian defence now knows, but an icon in the country for what he has done,” he added. “To go through so much personal tragedy but still have the drive and motivation to become a professional player and one of the best strikers on the continent is hugely impressive. He is an inspiration to all, Iraqis, Arabs, and the entire world.”
A prolific goalscorer, Hussein has spent most of his club career in Iraq but has also enjoyed successful spells in Qatar, the UAE, Tunisia and Morocco.
His most productive periods came with Baghdad-based al-Quwa al-Jawiya, where he played between 2019 and 2021 and again during the 2023-24 season.
He now plays for Al-Karmah and has scored nine goals in 18 appearances since joining the club in 2025.
In 94 appearances for Iraq, Hussein has scored 34 goals, making him the country’s fifth-highest goalscorer of all time.
He was one of the driving forces behind Iraq’s successful but gruelling World Cup qualification campaign.
The striker scored 12 goals during qualifying, more than twice as many as any of his teammates.
In March, he scored the winner against Bolivia in the intercontinental play-off, securing Iraq’s first World Cup qualification since 1986.
His World Cup journey was not without difficulties. Upon arriving in the United States, Hussein was detained and questioned for seven hours by immigration officials at Chicago O’Hare International Airport before eventually being allowed to enter the country.
Iraq now face daunting group-stage fixtures against France and Senegal. While the challenge ahead remains considerable, Hussein will hope to make history once again before the tournament is over.
