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 have sought to eradicate the game. They are threatened and intimidated by its power. By banishing soccer these dictators sought to take away the voice of the people. This was the certainly the case in Iraq. Fearing the power that soccer has, as well as its democratic spirit, the Hussein family did its best to ruin the game for many of the Iraqi people. However, soccer never went away in Iraq. Today, the Iraqi National team has become a symbol of perseverance. It is a representation of what it means to defy adversity. Soccer is the unifying voice of Iraq.If you like what you see, keep going: Zico says he’ll coach Iraq national soccer team