Graham Arnold gives Haider Abdul Karim a chance in Gulf 27 and confirms the goal of competing for the title

Australian Graham Arnold, coach of the Iraqi national team, decided to give the young star Haider Abdul Karim, the Saudi Al-Nasr player, the opportunity to participate in the 27th Gulf Cup tournament scheduled to be held in Jeddah.

Graham had confirmed in a previous statement that the “Mesopotamia Lions” list participating in the Gulf Cup was chosen by him himself, stressing that the team is heading to the tournament with the aim of competing for the title.

He explained that the exclusion of Marco Faraj and Amar Shear is not related to a personal position towards the players, noting that he has known them for 15 months, but he preferred to give the opportunity to other players, including Haider Abdel Karim, in light of the circumstances awaiting the Iraqi team in Jeddah.

It is noteworthy that Al-Nasr signed a contract with the Iraqi Al-Zawraa Club player, young Haider Abdul Karim, in January of this year, in a move that reflects the club’s orientation towards investing in promising elements and building the team of the future.

The management of Al-Nasr Club Company signed a contract with the player extending for two and a half seasons, as part of a technical plan aimed at strengthening the roster with young players with high physical and technical capabilities.

Australian Graham Arnold, coach of the Iraqi national team, confirmed that his team will participate in the Gulf Football Cup (Gulf 27) with the aim of competing for the title, stressing the importance of the tournament that begins next week in the Saudi city of Jeddah.

Arnold summoned 26 players to participate in the tournament, where Iraq, which won the title four times, most recently in the “Gulf 25,” will compete in the first group alongside Saudi Arabia, the owner of the land, Kuwait, and the Sultanate of Oman, while the second group includes Bahrain, the defending champion, Qatar, the Emirates, and Yemen.

Arnold said, during a press conference after announcing the list: “The Gulf Cup is an important tournament for all countries in the region, and there is no such thing as a friendly tournament.” He added: “We learned a lot from the World Cup, and now we must build a good future for Iraqi football.” 50 percent of the World Cup squad is not included in the Gulf 27, and I was keen to give the new players the opportunity to see them in action.”

The Iraqi coach explained his philosophy in choosing the list, saying: “I chose a player with experience in each position, along with a young player as an alternative. Haider Abdel Karim is an excellent player and deserves a chance alongside the rest of the new names that were chosen.”

Arnold touched on the absences and technical options, stressing that a number of prominent players were excluded due to injury, and added: “I alone am responsible for choosing the national team roster. Ahmed Basil is a goalkeeper with great experience, and the rest of the goalkeepers were chosen with the conviction of the goalkeeper coach.”

Iraq had exited the World Cup in the group stage after losing its three matches to Norway, France and Senegal, while Arnold is seeking to invest in “Gulf 27” to give a number of new faces the opportunity to appear with the national team.

The 63-year-old Australian coach extended his contract with the Iraqi Federation last month until 2027, and will lead the team in the Gulf Cup, in addition to the Asian Cup scheduled for early next year in Saudi Arabia.

Iraq's list included goalkeepers Hussein Hassan, Mohamed Salah, and Ahmed Basil, and defenders Ahmed Yahya, Mustafa Saadoun, Haitham Jabbar, Zaid Tahseen, Akam Hashim, Youssef Al-Imam, Mirkhas Dosky, and Mohamed Delawar.

In the midfield, Arnold chose Ibrahim Bayesh, Zidane Iqbal, Bassam Shaker, Zaid Ismail, Amir Al-Ammari, Haider Abdul Karim, Abdul Razzaq Qasim, Karar Nabil, Muhammad Qasim, Ahmed Qasim, and Ali Jassim, while the attacking line included Ayman Hussein, Saif Rashid, Ali Al-Hammadi, and Youssef Al-Nasrawi.

Australian Graham Arnold, the coach of the Iraqi national team, announced a list of 26 players to participate in the Gulf Football Cup (Gulf 27) in Jeddah, led by the national team’s captain, Ayman Hussein, along with a group of players who participated with the “Lions of Mesopotamia” in the 2026 World Cup.

The goalkeeping list included Hussein Hassan, Mohamed Salah, and Ahmed Basil, and in defense, Ahmed Yahya, Mustafa Saadoun, Haitham Jabbar, Zaid Tahseen, Akam Hashem, Youssef Al-Imam, Mirkhas Doski, and Mohamed Delawar, while Arnold chose for the midfield Ibrahim Bayesh, Zidane Iqbal, Bassam Shaker, Zaid Ismail, Amir Al-Amari, Haider Abdel Karim, Abdel-Razzaq Qasim, Karar Nabil, Mohamed Qasim, Ahmed Qasim, and Ali Jassim. Attack: Ayman Hussein, Saif Rashid, Ali Al Hammadi, and Youssef Al Nasrawi.

The Iraqi team enters the tournament with the ambition of competing for its fifth Gulf title, after winning the tournament four times, most recently in the “Gulf 25”, as it competes in the first group competitions alongside host Saudi Arabia, Oman and Kuwait.