Luck Was On the Other Team’s Side: Iraq’s Keeper After Arab Cup Exit

Match aftermath

Ahmed Basel, the Iraq national team goalkeeper, spoke with resolve after the 1-0 loss to Jordan in the Arab Cup quarterfinals.

In an interview with Al-Kass TV, he said football is unfair and unkind, and that the best team did not win, while his teammates gave their all.

He added that Iraq created several chances in the second half but were undone by luck for not finding the net.

The Iraqi stopper thanked the fans for their support and the media for backing the team, noting that the Arab Cup served as preparation for the World Cup playoff in March.

Player reactions and outlook

Ali Jassim, another Iraq player, said the match was tough and tightly contested, noting that football is about wins and losses and that the Lions were not fortunate in this game.

He stressed that the players will give their all in the World Cup playoff in March, the team's main objective to reach the World Cup finals.

Zaid Ismail added that luck simply did not favor the Lions of Mesopotamia, with one error costing them the defeat.

They expressed a strong desire to make amends and qualify for the 2026 World Cup finals.

Punchline 1: Luck is a sniper; it always shoots at the wrong target—tonight it picked the wrong team.

Punchline 2: If luck were a striker, it would miss the goal and still celebrate anyway.