Iraq–Saudi Arabia football rivalry

Iraq and Saudi Arabia are two fierce rivals of the Arab world. Their matches are often considered to be one of the most heated rivalries in the world.

Iraq–Saudi Arabia rivalry
Other namesIraq vs Saudi Arabia
LocaleAsia
West Asia
Teams Iraq
 Saudi Arabia
First meeting29 March 1976
(44 years ago)
Latest meetingSaudi Arabia 1–1 Iraq
Friendly
(15 October 2018)
Statistics
Meetings total39
Most winsIraq (17)
Largest victorySaudi Arabia 1–7 Iraq
4th Arabian Gulf Cup
(29 March 1976)

Although received lesser attention comparing to rivalry with Iran of both sides, it is one of the oldest rivalries in Asia.[1] Emotions often run high when two teams meet each others.

Reason behind the rivalry

The main reasons for this rivalry are political differences, and historical grievances. During the Gulf War in the 1990s, Iraq invaded Kuwait, an ally of Saudi Arabia, and both fought a short but bloody war that would continue to have a major impact on their relations.[2] Accusations from Iraq that Saudi Arabia is instigating terrorist groups, like ISIS and Al-Qaeda, further deepened enmity between the two nations.

Major tournament matches

1976 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Iraq 1–1 Saudi Arabia
Ahmed  86' Al Mugnim  4'

1976 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Iraq 2–1 Saudi Arabia
Subhi  13'
Hassan  41'		 Bakhit  54'

1982 FIFA World Cup qualification

First round
Saudi Arabia 1–0 Iraq
Mohammad
Referee: Rubio Vesquez (Mexico)

1994 FIFA World Cup qualification

Final round
Iraq 1–1 Saudi Arabia
Radhi  1' Owairan  36'
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Quiniou (France)

1996 AFC Asian Cup

Group stage
Saudi Arabia 1–0 Iraq
Al-Mehallel  26' Report
Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
Attendance: 12,000

2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

Final round
Saudi Arabia 1–0 Iraq
Al-Dosari  45' Report
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Lu Jun (China)

2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

Final round
Iraq 1–2 Saudi Arabia
Al-Hail  31' Report Shehan  1', 77'
Attendance: 17,000

2004 AFC Asian Cup

Group stage
Saudi Arabia 1–2 Iraq
Al-Montashari  57' Report Akram  51'
Mahmoud  86'
Sichuan Longquanyi Stadium, Chengdu
Attendance: 15,000

2007 AFC Asian Cup

Iraq 1–0 Saudi Arabia
Mahmoud  72' Report
Attendance: 60,000

2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Iraq 0–2 Saudi Arabia
Report
Attendance: 12,000

2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Saudi Arabia 2–1 Iraq
 Report
Attendance: 21,600
Referee: Masaaki Toma (Japan)

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Iraq 1–2 Saudi Arabia
 Report
Attendance: 3,400
Referee: Khamis Al-Marri (Qatar)

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Saudi Arabia 1–0 Iraq
 Report
Attendance: 60,153
Referee: Valentin Kovalenko (Uzbekistan)

Matches
Source:[3]
# Date Competition Home team Score Away team Goals (home) Goals (away) Venue
1 22 August 1975 1976 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] Iraq 
0–2
  Saudi Arabia Tehran
2 25 November 1975 1976 AFC Asian Cup qualification Iraq 
1–1
  Saudi Arabia Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad
3 2 December 1975 Iraq 
2–1
  Saudi Arabia Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad
4 29 March 1976 1976 Gulf Cup Saudi Arabia 
1–7
  Iraq Doha
5 31 August 1976 Friendly Saudi Arabia 
0–0
  Iraq Riyadh
6 14 December 1978 1978 Asian Games Iraq 
1–1
  Saudi Arabia Bangkok
7 8 April 1979 1979 Gulf Cup Iraq 
2–0
  Saudi Arabia Hassan  24', Farhan  36' Al Shaab Stadium, Baghdad
8 21 March 1981 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification Saudi Arabia 
1–0
  Iraq Mohammad  -' Riyadh
9 24 March 1982 1982 Gulf Cup Iraq 
1–1
  Saudi Arabia
10 1 December 1982 1982 Asian Games Saudi Arabia 
0–1
  Iraq H.Mohammed  17' Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi
11 17 March 1984 1984 Gulf Cup Iraq 
4–0
  Saudi Arabia Shaker  25', Saeed  57', 70', 84' Royal Oman Police Stadium, Muscat
12 10 July 1985 1985 Arab Nations Cup Iraq 
3–2
  Saudi Arabia Abid  12', 18', Rashid  28' Nu'eimeh  12' (pen.), Al-Jawad  88' King Fahd Stadium, Taif
13 14 August 1985 1985 Pan Arab Games[lower-alpha 2] Iraq 
1–0
  Saudi Arabia Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca
14 30 March 1986 1986 Gulf Cup Iraq 
1–2
  Saudi Arabia Manama
15 1 October 1986 1986 Asian Games Saudi Arabia 
1–1 (a.e.t.)[lower-alpha 3]
  Iraq Al-Shehrani  39' H.Mohammed  51' Seoul Olympic Stadium, Seoul
16 4 December 1987 1988 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] Saudi Arabia 
0–0
  Iraq Riyadh
17 1 January 1988 1988 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] Saudi Arabia 
1–1
  Iraq Muscat
18 16 March 1988 1988 Gulf Cup Iraq 
2–0
  Saudi Arabia Radhi  59', Gorgis  72' King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh
19 15 July 1988 1988 Arab Nations Cup Iraq 
2–0
  Saudi Arabia Radhi  13', 35' Amman
20 24 October 1993 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq 
1–1
  Saudi Arabia Radhi  1' Owairan  36' Khalifa International Stadium, Doha
21 8 December 1996 1996 AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 
1–0
  Iraq Al-Mehallel  26' Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
22 31 August 2001 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification Saudi Arabia 
1–0
  Iraq Al-Dosari  45' Bahrain National Stadium, Manama
23 5 October 2001 Iraq 
1–2
  Saudi Arabia Abu Al-Hail  31' Shehan  1', 77' Amman International Stadium, Amman
24 26 July 2004 2004 AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 
1–2
  Iraq Al-Montashari  57' Akram  51', Mahmoud  86' Sichuan Longquanyi Stadium, Chengdu
25 5 December 2005 2005 West Asian Games Iraq 
5–1
  Saudi Arabia Abdul-Amir  8', E.Mohammed  19', Akram  30', Mahmoud  51', 78' Al-Qadi  53' Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan
26 8 December 2005 Iraq 
2–0
  Saudi Arabia Salah  33', Farhan  85'
27 15 March 2006 Friendly Saudi Arabia 
2–2
  Iraq Temyat  18', Jaber  59' Shakroun  28', Abdul-Amir  90+4' Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, Jeddah
28 24 January 2007 2007 Gulf Cup Saudi Arabia 
1–0
  Iraq Qahtani  12' (pen.) Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
29 29 July 2007 2007 AFC Asian Cup Iraq 
1–0
  Saudi Arabia Mahmoud  72' Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta
30 22 March 2009 Friendly Saudi Arabia 
0–0
  Iraq King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh
31 28 December 2010 Friendly Saudi Arabia 
0–1
  Iraq Mahmoud  24' Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam
32 5 July 2012 2012 Arab Nations Cup Saudi Arabia 
0–1
  Iraq Abdul-Zahra  16' Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, Jeddah
33 6 January 2013 2013 Gulf Cup Saudi Arabia 
0–2
  Iraq Shaker  18', Hawsawi  72' (o.g.) Khalifa Sports City Stadium, Isa Town
34 15 October 2013 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification Iraq 
0–2
  Saudi Arabia Hawsawi  34', Shamrani  78' Amman International Stadium, Amman
35 15 November 2013 Saudi Arabia 
2–1
  Iraq Jassim  18', Shamrani  60' Mahmoud  45+1' Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam
36 6 September 2016 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq 
1–2
  Saudi Arabia Abdul-Raheem  18' Al-Abed  81' (pen.), 88' (pen.) Shah Alam Stadium, Shah Alam
37 28 March 2017 Saudi Arabia 
1–0
  Iraq Al-Shehri  53' King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah
38 28 February 2018 Friendly Iraq 
4–1
  Saudi Arabia Al-Robeai  21' (o.g.), Mohsin  47', Ali  51', 73' Fallatah  57' Basra Sports City, Basra
39 15 October 2018 Saudi Arabia 
1–1
  Iraq Al-Bishi  90+4' Ali  71' King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh
  1. Not a full FIFA international
  2. Iraq competed in the tournament with its B team squad.
  3. Saudi Arabia won on penalties.

Statistics
Matches held in Iraq4
Matches held in neutral venue23
Matches held in Saudi Arabia12
Total matches39
Matches won by Iraq17
Matches won by Saudi Arabia11

See also

References
  1. https://socceriraq.net/2018/02/27/match-preview-iraq-vs-saudi-arabia/
  2. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1993-10-15/sports/9310190165_1_saudi-arabia-world-cup-usa-south-korea-north-korea
  3. https://www.11v11.com/teams/iraq/tab/opposingTeams/opposition/Saudi%20Arabia/
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