Iran–Iraq football rivalry
The Iran and Iraq national football teams are sporting rivals[1][2][3] who have played each other since 1962.
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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 | TBD |
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 ![]() | 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 ![]() |
1–1 | ![]() |
Kouzehkanani ![]() |
Abbas ![]() |
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2 | 3 June 1962 | Friendly | Iran ![]() |
1–2 | ![]() |
Kouzehkanani ![]() |
Ismail ![]() ![]() |
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3 | 2 January 1964 | 1964 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] | Iran ![]() |
4–0 | ![]() |
Shirzadegan ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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4 | 22 March 1964 | 1964 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] | Iraq ![]() |
0–0 | ![]() |
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5 | 7 March 1969 | 1969 Friendship Cup | Iran ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() |
Ghelichkhani ![]() ![]() |
Dhiab ![]() |
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6 | 9 May 1972 | 1972 Asian Cup | Iran ![]() |
3–0 | ![]() |
Kalani ![]() |
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7 | 13 September 1974 | 1974 Asian Games | Iran ![]() |
1–0 | ![]() |
Roshan ![]() |
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8 | 24 August 1975 | 1976 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] | Iran ![]() |
1–0 | ![]() |
Khorshidi ![]() |
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9 | 4 June 1976 | 1976 Asian Cup | Iran ![]() |
2–0 | ![]() |
Nouraei ![]() ![]() |
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10 | 5 November 1989 | 1989 Peace and Friendship Cup | Iran ![]() |
0–0 | ![]() |
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11 | 22 October 1993 | 1994 World Cup qualification | Iran ![]() |
1–2 | ![]() |
Daei ![]() |
Radhi ![]() ![]() |
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12 | 5 December 1996 | 1996 Asian Cup | Iran ![]() |
1–2 | ![]() |
Daei ![]() |
Fawzi ![]() ![]() |
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13 | 18 October 2000 | 2000 Asian Cup | Iran ![]() |
1–0 | ![]() |
Daei ![]() |
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14 | 7 September 2001 | 2002 World Cup qualification | Iraq ![]() |
1–2 | ![]() |
Emad Reza ![]() |
Karimi ![]() ![]() |
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15 | 12 October 2001 | 2002 World Cup qualification | Iran ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() |
Mahdavikia ![]() ![]() |
Chathir ![]() |
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16 | 5 September 2002 | 2002 WAFF Championship | Iraq ![]() |
0–0 (a.e.t.)[lower-alpha 2] | ![]() |
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17 | 13 August 2003 | 2003 LG Cup | Iran ![]() |
0–1 | ![]() |
Swadi ![]() |
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18 | 23 June 2004 | 2004 WAFF Championship | Iran ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() |
Nekounam ![]() ![]() |
Mnajed ![]() |
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19 | 4 October 2006 | 2006 LG Cup | Iran ![]() |
2–0 | ![]() |
Rezaei ![]() ![]() |
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20 | 16 June 2007 | 2007 WAFF Championship[lower-alpha 3] | Iran ![]() |
0–0 | ![]() |
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21 | 24 June 2007 | 2007 WAFF Championship[lower-alpha 3] | Iran ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() |
Badamaki ![]() ![]() |
Sadir ![]() |
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22 | 1 October 2010 | 2010 WAFF Championship | Iran ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() |
Hosseini ![]() ![]() |
Karim ![]() |
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23 | 11 January 2011 | 2011 Asian Cup | Iraq ![]() |
1–2 | ![]() |
Mahmoud ![]() |
Rezaei ![]() ![]() |
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24 | 4 January 2015 | Friendly | Iraq ![]() |
0–1 | ![]() |
Azmoun ![]() |
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25 | 23 January 2015 | 2015 Asian Cup | Iran ![]() |
3–3 (a.e.t.)[lower-alpha 2] | ![]() |
Azmoun ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Yasin ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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26 | 18 March 2017 | Friendly[lower-alpha 4] | Iran ![]() |
0–1 | ![]() |
Abdul-Amir ![]() |
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27 | 16 January 2019 | 2019 Asian Cup | Iran ![]() |
0–0 | ![]() |
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28 | 14 November 2019 | 2022 World Cup qualification | Iraq ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() |
M. Ali ![]() ![]() |
Nourollahi ![]() |
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29 | TBD | 2022 World Cup qualification | Iran ![]() |
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- Not a full FIFA international
- Iraq won on penalties.
- Iran competed in the tournament with its B team squad.
- Played behind closed-doors.
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.