Iran–Iraq football rivalry
The Iran and Iraq national football teams are sporting rivals since 1962.[1][2][3]
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Other names | Iran vs Iraq |
---|---|
Location | Asia (AFC) |
Teams | ![]() ![]() |
First meeting | 1 June 1962 (62 years ago) |
Latest meeting | Iran 1–0 Iraq 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification (27 January 2022) |
Statistics | |
Meetings total | 31 |
Most wins | Iran (18) |
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 match between the two teams was in World Cup qualifier on 27 January 2022 hosted in Iran, where Iran won the game by 1–0.
Origins
The rivalry is not such a football-inspired ill-feeling between the two, but more of geography and history.[5] Iran and Iraq are neighboring countries, that share a long history. In the contemporary era, especially during the reign of Saddam Hussein, the two countries had bad relations.[2][3]
In 2001, an Iran-Iraq match was not held at a neutral venue for the first time in decades.[3]
Major tournament matches
1994 FIFA World Cup qualification
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
2002 FIFA World Cup qualification
Iran ![]() | 2–1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Mahdavikia ![]() Karimi ![]() |
Report | Chathir ![]() |
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) |
|
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
Iraq ![]() | 0–3 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
|
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 ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
3 | 2 January 1964 | 1964 Olympic qualification[lower-alpha 1] | Iran ![]() |
4–0 | ![]() |
Shirzadegan ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() | |
4 | 22 March 1964 | Iraq ![]() |
0–0 | ![]() |
![]() | |||
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 ![]() ![]() |
![]() | |
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 ![]() ![]() |
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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 ![]() ![]() |
![]() |
15 | 12 October 2001 | 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 ![]() |
![]() | |
18 | 23 June 2004 | 2004 WAFF Championship | Iran ![]() |
2–1 | ![]() |
Nekounam ![]() ![]() |
Mnajed ![]() |
![]() |
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 | ![]() |
![]() | ||
21 | 24 June 2007 | 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 [lower-alpha 1] | 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 | 15 June 2021 | Iran ![]() |
1–0 | ![]() |
Azmoun ![]() |
![]() | ||
30 | 7 September 2021 | 2022 World Cup qualification | Iraq ![]() |
0–3 | ![]() |
Jahanbakhsh ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() | |
31 | 27 January 2022 | Iran ![]() |
1–0 | ![]() |
Taremi ![]() |
![]() |
- 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
![]() | 18 wins |
![]() | 6 wins |
Draws | 7 draws |
Top scorers
Rank | Player | Goals |
---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 4 |
2 | ![]() | 3 |
![]() | 3 | |
![]() | 3 | |
3 | Various players | 2 |
See also
- Iran–Saudi Arabia football rivalry
- Iraq–Saudi Arabia football rivalry
References
- "Iran and Iraq set for QF showdown". ESPN.com. 2015-01-22. Retrieved 2024-04-20.
- 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. No. 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.
- Duerden, John. "Asia awaits neighbourly rivalry". ESPN. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
- 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.