# Iraq national under-20 football team

The Iraq national under-20 football team represents Iraq in international football competitions in AFC U-20 Asian Cup which Iraq holds 5 titles, as well as any other international football tournaments. The team is controlled by the governing body for football in Iraq, Iraq Football Association (IFA).
The team has qualified five times for the FIFA U-20 World Cup, reaching fourth place in 2013.
Iraq U-20 have been awarded the AFC National Team of the Year award once in 2013, being the only U-20 team to win this award.

## Recent results and fixtures

The following is a list of match results in the last 12 months, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.

### Legend

Win  Draw  Loss  Cancelled

### 2025
## Players
### Current squad

The following players were named in the squad for the 2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification. Caps and goals correct as of 25 September 2024, after the game against Brunei
| No. | Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club |
| 1 | 1GK | Laith Sajid | | 0 | 0 | Al-Shorta |
| 12 | 1GK | Wissam Ali | | 4 | 0 | Naft Al-Wasat |
| 22 | 1GK | Ridha Mohammed | | 0 | 0 | |
| 2 | 2DF | Mohammed Ghaleb | (2005-09-26)26 September 2005 (aged 18) | 3 | 0 | Al-Minaa |
| 3 | 2DF | Mousa Alaa | | 4 | 0 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya |
| 4 | 2DF | Sajjad Hussein | | 0 | 0 | Al-Karkh |
| 6 | 2DF | Hussein Fahim | | 6 | 1 | Al-Karkh |
| 13 | 2DF | Hassan Emad | | 1 | 0 | Duhok |
| 14 | 2DF | Ali Kareem | | 5 | 0 | Al-Kahrabaa |
| 17 | 2DF | Muslim Mousa | (2005-03-11)11 March 2005 (aged 19) | 16 | 1 | Al-Minaa |
| 5 | 3MF | Yousef Qasim | | 0 | 0 | |
| 10 | 3MF | Amir Faisal | (2005-05-01)1 May 2005 (aged 18) | 6 | 2 | Al-Kahrabaa |
| 11 | 3MF | Mustafa Nawaf | (2005-05-05)5 May 2005 (aged 18) | 6 | 3 | Al-Zawraa |
| 15 | 3MF | Ali Mokhalad | | 6 | 0 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya |
| 16 | 3MF | Moammel Mahmoud | | 2 | 0 | Naft Al-Wasat |
| 18 | 3MF | Sidad Haji | | 4 | 3 | Zakho |
| 21 | 3MF | Laith Dhia | | 6 | 0 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya |
| 7 | 4FW | Mohammed Jameel | | 19 | 3 | Al-Hudood |
| 8 | 4FW | Halgurd Qais | | 6 | 3 | Erbil |
| 9 | 4FW | Ali Akbar Taher | (2006-12-30) 30 December 2006 (age 18) | 5 | 0 | Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya |
| 19 | 4FW | Ahmed Jasim | | 5 | 1 | Al-Naft |
| 20 | 4FW | Karrar Jaafar | (2006-04-26)26 April 2006 (aged 17) | 1 | 2 | Al-Minaa |
| 23 | 4FW | Ayman Louay | | 6 | 4 | |

### Recent call-ups

The following players have been called up within the last 12 months.
| Pos. | Player | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Goals | Club | Latest call-up |
| GK | Sajjad Nayef | | 1 | 0 | Al-Talaba | v. Oman, June 2024 |
| GK | Hussein Hassan | (2002-11-15) 15 November 2002 (age 22) | 16 | 0 | Al-Karkh | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| GK | Abbas Kareem | (2003-11-15) 15 November 2003 (age 21) | 3 | 0 | Al-Shorta | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| GK | Omran Zaky | (2004-08-02) 2 August 2004 (age 20) | 0 | 0 | Zakho | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| DF | Sajjad Fadhil | (2004-05-05) 5 May 2004 (age 20) | 9 | 0 | Al-Zawraa | 2024 WAFF U-23 Championship |
| DF | Sajjad Mahdi | (2003-02-25) 25 February 2003 (age 22) | 15 | 0 | Al-Zawraa | 2024 WAFF U-23 Championship |
| DF | Kadhim Raad Hatem | (2003-03-05) 5 March 2003 (age 21) | 16 | 0 | Al-Zawraa | 2024 WAFF U-23 Championship |
| DF | Adam Rasheed | (2006-07-10) 10 July 2006 (age 18) | 13 | 0 | Maribor | 2024 WAFF U-23 Championship |
| DF | Alai Ghasem | (2003-02-16) 16 February 2003 (age 22) | 8 | 1 | Newroz | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| DF | Roman Doulashi | (2005-08-07) 7 August 2005 (age 19) | 7 | 0 | Roda U-21 | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| DF | Abbas Manie | (2003-01-11) 11 January 2003 (age 22) | 2 | 0 | Al-Sinaat Al-Kahrabaiya | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| MF | Ali Sadiq | (2003-02-13) 13 February 2003 (age 22) | 15 | 1 | Al-Zawraa | 2024 WAFF U-23 Championship |
| MF | Hayder Abdulkareem | (2004-08-07) 7 August 2004 (age 20) | 15 | 3 | Al-Zawraa | 2024 WAFF U-23 Championship |
| MF | Abbas Majed | (2003-10-29) 29 October 2003 (age 21) | 6 | 0 | Al-Hudood | 2024 WAFF U-23 Championship |
| MF | Alexander Aoraha | (2003-01-17) 17 January 2003 (age 22) | 5 | 0 | Queens Park Rangers U21 | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| MF | Abdulrazzaq Qasim | (2003-02-19) 19 February 2003 (age 22) | 16 | 2 | Al-Shorta | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| FW | Ali Hayder | (2005-10-01)1 October 2005 (aged 18) | 5 | 1 | Macclesfield | v. Oman, June 2024 |
| FW | Arian Amyn | (2006-11-01) 1 November 2006 (age 18) | 1 | 0 | Alemannia Aachen | v. Oman, June 2024 |
| FW | Abbas Fadhil | (2003-07-13) 13 July 2003 (age 21) | 13 | 1 | Naft Maysan | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| FW | Abdulqader Ayoub | (2003-07-23) 23 July 2003 (age 21) | 12 | 2 | Al-Nasiriya | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| FW | Youssef Amyn | (2003-08-21) 21 August 2003 (age 21) | 5 | 1 | Al-Wehda | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| FW | Ashar Ali | (2003-09-24) 24 September 2003 (age 21) | 15 | 3 | Amanat Baghdad | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| FW | Ali Jassim | (2004-01-20) 20 January 2004 (age 21) | 9 | 2 | Como | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| FW | Mohammed Emad Mohammed | unknown | 1 | 1 | Al-Karkh | 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup |
| $^{PRE}$ Part of the preliminary squad $^{INJ}$ Player injured $^{CLB}$ Player refused by club or unable to attend due to club commitments $^{U23}$ Player moved up to the Olympic team $^{WD}$ Player withdrew for non-injury related reasons $^{UNK}$ Unknown when the player was last with the squad |||||||

## Coaching staff

Updated to match played April 2023 Source:

## Head coach history

Head coaches by years (2000–present)
    As of 31 March 2024
| Name | Period | Matches | Wins | Draws | Losses | Win % | Achievements |
| Thair Jassam | 2000 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 040.00 | |
| Adnan Hamad | 2000 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 050.00 | 2000 AFC Youth Championship: Champions 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship: Group Stage |
| Nazar Ashraf | 2001 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 000.00 | |
| Adnan Hamad | 2001 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 042.86 | |
| Nasrat Nassir | 2001–2002 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 055.56 | |
| Ahmed Radhi | 2002 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 066.67 | |
| Akram Salman | 2003 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | !— | |
| Hadi Mutanash | 2004 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | !— | |
| Abdelilah Abdul-Hamid | 2005–2006 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | !— | |
| Kadhim Al-Rubaie | 2007 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | !— | |
| Hakim Shaker | 2008 | 12 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 025.00 | |
| Hassan Ahmed | 2009–2010 | 11 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 036.36 | |
| Hakim Shaker | 2011–2013 | 42 | 23 | 8 | 11 | 054.76 | 2012 AFC U-19 Championship: Runner-up 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup: Fourth Place AFC National Team of the Year |
| Muwafaq Hussein | 2013 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 050.00 | |
| Rahim Hameed | 2014 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 040.00 | |
| Abbas Attiya | 2015–2016 | 13 | 7 | 6 | 0 | 053.85 | |
| Qahtan Chathir | 2017–2021 | 26 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 030.77 | 2019 WAFF U-18 Championship: Champions |
| Emad Mohammed | 2021–2024 | 25 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 040.00 | 2021 WAFF U-18 Championship: Champions 2023 AFC U-20 Asian Cup: Runner-up 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup: Group Stage |
| Ehsan Turki | 2024– | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 000.00 | |

## Competitive record
### FIFA U-20 World Cup

FIFA U-20 World Cup record :
| Year | Result | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
| 1977 | Group stage | 11th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 8 | Squad |
| 1979 | Qualified but Withdrew | Qualified but Withdrew | Qualified but Withdrew | Qualified but Withdrew | Qualified but Withdrew | Qualified but Withdrew | Qualified but Withdrew | Qualified but Withdrew |
| 1981 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1983 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1985 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1987 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1989 | Quarterfinals | 6th | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | Squad |
| 1991 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1993 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1995 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1997 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 1999 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2001 | Group stage | 19th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 9 | Squad |
| 2003 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2005 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2007 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2009 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2011 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2013 | Fourth place | 4th | 7 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 11 | 11 | Squad |
| 2015 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2017 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2019 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify |
| 2023 | Group stage | 21st | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | Squad |
| 2025 | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | Did not qualify | |
| Total | Fourth place | 5/24 | 20 | 8 | 4 | 8 | 27 | 37 | — |
FIFA U-20 World Cup history :
| Year | Round | Score | Result |
| 1977 |
| 1977 | Group stage | Iraq 1–3 Soviet Union | Loss |
| 1977 | Group stage | Iraq 5–1 Austria | Win |
| 1977 | Group stage | Iraq 0–4 Paraguay | Loss |
| 1989 |
| 1989 | Group stage | Iraq 1–0 Norway | Win |
| 1989 | Group stage | Iraq 2–0 Spain | Win |
| 1989 | Group stage | Iraq 1–0 Argentina | Win |
| 1989 | Quarterfinals | Iraq 1–2 United States | Loss |
| 2001 |
| 2001 | Group stage | Iraq 3–0 Canada | Win |
| 2001 | Group stage | Iraq 1–6 Brazil | Loss |
| 2001 | Group stage | Iraq 1–3 Germany | Loss |
| 2013 |
| 2013 | Group stage | Iraq 2–2 England | Draw |
| 2013 | Group stage | Iraq 2–1 Egypt | Win |
| 2013 | Group stage | Iraq 2–1 Chile | Win |
| 2013 | Round of 16 | Iraq 1–0 (a.e.t.) Paraguay | Win |
| 2013 | Quarterfinals | Iraq 3–3 (a.e.t.)(pen 5-4) South Korea | Draw |
| 2013 | Semifinals | Iraq 1–1 (a.e.t.)(pen 6-7) Uruguay | Draw |
| 2013 | 3rd Place | Iraq 0–3 Ghana | Loss |
| 2023 |
| 2023 | Group stage | Iraq 0–4 Uruguay | Loss |
| 2023 | Group stage | Iraq 0–3 Tunisia | Loss |
| 2023 | Group stage | Iraq 0–0 England | Draw |

### AFC U-20 Asian Cup record

AFC U-20 Asian Cup :
| Year | Result | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Squad |
| 1975 | Champions | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 18 | 1 |
| 1976 | Quarter-finals | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 1 |
| 1977 | Champions | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 4 |
| 1978 | Champions | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 20 | 2 |
| 1980 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 1982 | Third Place | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| 1985 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1986 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 1988 | Champions | 5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| 1990 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 1992 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 1994 | Fourth Place | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 8 |
| 1996 | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter | did not enter |
| 1998 | Group stage | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 13 |
| 2000 | Champions | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 3 |
| 2002 | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify | did not qualify |
| 2004 | Quarterfinals | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 1 | Squad |
| 2006 | Quarterfinals | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | Squad |
| 2008 | Group stage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | Squad |
| 2010 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | Squad |
| 2012 | Runners-up | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 3 | Squad |
| 2014 | Group stage | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 | Squad |
| 2016 | Quarterfinals | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | Squad |
| 2018 | Group stage | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 9 | Squad |
| 2023 | Runners-up | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 5 | Squad |
| 2025 | Quarterfinals | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | Squad |
| Total | Best: Champions | 85 | 42 | 23 | 20 | 160 | 84 |

## Honours
### Titles

* FIFA U-20 World Cup
    Fourth place: 2013
* AFC U-20 Asian Cup
    Champions (5): 1975*, 1977, 1978*, 1988, 2000 (* shared)
    Runners-up (2): 2012, 2023
    Third place: 1982

### Awards

* AFC National Team of the Year: 2013