Iran–Iraq football rivalry
The Iran and Iraq national football teams are sporting rivals[1][2][3] who have played each other since 1962.
 | |
| Other names | Iran vs Iraq |
|---|---|
| Locale | Asia |
| Teams |   |
| First meeting | 1 June 1962 (58 years ago) |
| Latest meeting | Iraq 2–1 Iran 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification (14 November 2019) |
| Next meeting | 17 November2020 |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | 28 |
| Most wins | Iran (15) |
| Top scorer | |
| Largest victory | Iran 4–0 Iraq 1964 Olympic qualification (22 March 1964) |
According to The Malay Mail, "Emotions are always high when Iran and Iraq meet on the football pitch".[4]
The most recent matches between the two teams were the group stage match of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup where Iraq and Iran drew 0–0 and a World Cup qualifier in November 2019 hosted in Jordan, where Iraq won the game by 2–1.
Origins
The rivalry is not such a football-inspired ill-feeling between the two, but more of geography, religion and history.[1] Iran and Iraq are neighbouring countries, sharing a long history. In contemporary era, especially during the reign of Saddam Hussein, the two countries had bad relations and fought the Iran–Iraq War for 8 years.[2][3]
In 2001, for the first time in decades, an Iran-Iraq match was not held at a neutral venue.[3]
Major tournament matches
1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
| Iran | 2–1 | .svg.png){kind=small} |
|---|---|---|
Mahdavikia  Karimi |
Report | Drain |
| Iran | 3–3 (a.e.t.) | |
|---|---|---|
| Azmoun Pouraliganji Ghoochannejhad |
Report | Yasin Mahmoud Ismail |
| Penalties | ||
Hajsafi  Pouraliganji  Nekounam Hosseini Ghafouri Jahanbakhsh Teymourian Amiri |
6–7 | |
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
| Iraq | 2–1 | |
|---|---|---|
| Report (FIFA) Report (AFC) |
|
Matches
| # | Date | Competition | Home team | Score | Away team | Goals (home) | Goals (away) | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 June 1962 | Friendly | Iran .svg.png){kind=small} |
1–1 | .svg.png){kind=small} |
Kouzehkanani |
Abbas |
|
| 2 | 3 June 1962 | Friendly | Iran |
1–2 | |
Kouzehkanani |
Ismail |
|
| 3 | 2 January 1964 | 1964 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] | Iran |
4–0 | %3B_Flag_of_Syria_(1963%E2%80%931972).svg.png){kind=small} |
Shirzadegan |
| |
| 4 | 22 March 1964 | 1964 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] | Iraq |
0–0 | .svg.png){kind=small} |
| ||
| 5 | 7 March 1969 | 1969 Friendship Cup | Iran |
2–1 | |
Ghelichkhani |
Dhiab |
|
| 6 | 9 May 1972 | 1972 Asian Cup | Iran |
3–0 | |
Kalani |
 | |
| 7 | 13 September 1974 | 1974 Asian Games | Iran |
1–0 | |
Roshan |
| |
| 8 | 24 August 1975 | 1976 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] | Iran |
1–0 | |
Khorshidi |
| |
| 9 | 4 June 1976 | 1976 Asian Cup | Iran |
2–0 | |
Nouraei |
| |
| 10 | 5 November 1989 | 1989 Peace and Friendship Cup | Iran |
0–0 | |
 | ||
| 11 | 22 October 1993 | 1994 World Cup qualification | Iran |
1–2 | |
Daei |
Radhi |
 |
| 12 | 5 December 1996 | 1996 Asian Cup | Iran |
1–2 | |
Daei |
Fawzi |
 |
| 13 | 18 October 2000 | 2000 Asian Cup | Iran |
1–0 | |
Daei |
 | |
| 14 | 7 September 2001 | 2002 World Cup qualification | Iraq |
1–2 | |
Emad Reza |
Karimi |
|
| 15 | 12 October 2001 | 2002 World Cup qualification | Iran |
2–1 | |
Mahdavikia |
Chathir |
|
| 16 | 5 September 2002 | 2002 WAFF Championship | Iraq |
0–0 (a.e.t.)[lower-alpha 2] | |
 | ||
| 17 | 13 August 2003 | 2003 LG Cup | Iran |
0–1 | |
Swadi |
| |
| 18 | 23 June 2004 | 2004 WAFF Championship | Iran |
2–1 | |
Nekounam |
| |
| 19 | 4 October 2006 | 2006 LG Cup | Iran |
2–0 | .svg.png){kind=small} |
Rezaei |
 | |
| 20 | 16 June 2007 | 2007 WAFF Championship[lower-alpha 3] | Iran |
0–0 | |
| ||
| 21 | 24 June 2007 | 2007 WAFF Championship[lower-alpha 3] | Iran |
2–1 | |
Badamaki |
Sadir |
|
| 22 | 1 October 2010 | 2010 WAFF Championship | Iran |
2–1 | |
Hosseini |
Karim |
|
| 23 | 11 January 2011 | 2011 Asian Cup | Iraq |
1–2 | |
Mahmoud |
Rezaei |
|
| 24 | 4 January 2015 | Friendly | Iraq |
0–1 | |
Azmoun |
.svg.png){kind=small} | |
| 25 | 23 January 2015 | 2015 Asian Cup | Iran |
3–3 (a.e.t.)[lower-alpha 2] | |
Azmoun |
Yasin |
|
| 26 | 18 March 2017 | Friendly[lower-alpha 4] | Iran |
0–1 | |
Abdul-Amir |
| |
| 27 | 16 January 2019 | 2019 Asian Cup | Iran |
0–0 | |
| ||
| 28 | 14 November 2019 | 2022 World Cup qualification | Iraq |
2–1 | |
M. Ali |
Nourollahi |
|
| 29 | 17 November 2020 | 2022 World Cup qualification | Iran |
|
| |||
- Not a full FIFA international
- Iraq won on penalties.
- Iran competed in the tournament with its B team squad.
- Played behind closed-doors.
Statistics
Overall
| 15 wins |
| 6 wins |
Top scorers
| Rank | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | | 4 |
| 2 | | 3 |
| 3 | |
| 3 | Various players | 2 |
References
- Duerden, John. "Asia awaits neighbourly rivalry". ESPN. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
- Montague, James (January 13, 2011). "Pitch Warfare: Iran face Iraq in soccer grudge match". CNN. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
- "Iran-Iraq classic rivalry". Iran Daily (4924). November 5, 2014. p. 11.
- Montague, James (January 22, 2015). "Iran vs Iraq: Quarter-final clash reignites decades-old rivalry". The Malay Mail. Retrieved January 22, 2015.
- Panahi, Majeed (7 August 2014). "Iran – International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
- Courtney, Barrie (21 January 2011). "Iraq – List of International Matches". Rec.Sport.Soccer Statistics Foundation. Retrieved November 21, 2014.
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