Soccer is a powerful global phenomenon. It is more than a simple game played on a field with two goal posts. It is political and ideological. More than any other sport, Soccer is a reflection of the people, culture, and national identity of a particular country. In other words, soccer is the voice of the people. It is a democratic and unifying sport. In occupied and war-torn countries the game of soccer is the mortar that holds the people and the land together; it is a shared common bond and cultural identity. However, in certain countries, political leaders and dictators (more…)

One of the great nations of the Gulf has been turned upside down by an evil dictator and his family. Iraq was once a wonderful and prosperous country that had a lot going for itself. When Saddam Hussein took over not only did he ruin the country’s government, but he managed to ruin the lives of the citizens as well. Putting his son in charge of the country’s Olympic athletes brought further destruction to the country.

Iraq first participated in (more…)

War-torn Iraq has seen dark times. Since the advent of September 11, 2001 and the ensuing military conflict, there has been little brightness in the nation. One spark has been the national sport of soccer, commonly known as football in most places around the world if the exception of the United States. Iraq has had a commendable record in the sport, particularly in the eighties with qualification in the Mexico Cup and the Olympics on three different occasions. The team won several cup events as well, (more…)

War is something no one likes to see or even live through if they can help it. Iraq has dealt with a long war and it has really taken a toll on the country, the people, and their overall outlook on life. How do You recover after a decade of war? In fact, there really are many different ways that this can be accomplished. One of the best ways to do this is through sports. Soccer is big in Iraq and one of the better ways to (more…)