In a statement that sparked widespread interaction among Iraqi fans, former Iraqi national team player and current football analyst Jaafar Imran expressed his opinion regarding the lineup that should face the upcoming match against South Korea in the Asian qualifiers for the World Cup, emphasizing the need to rely on striker Ali Al-Hammadi instead of Mohanad Ali 'Mimi', and he also called for the return of the duo Saad Natiq and Ahmed Ibrahim to the national team's defense.

Imran said:

"Ali Al-Hammadi should play against Korea; yes, Mimi excelled in our local league.

He added: 'Mimi is a good striker, but my technical perspective is that we need a decisive and more effective striker in such difficult matches, and Al-Hammadi has the appropriate physical and mental capabilities for this confrontation.'

Speaking about the defense, Jaafar Imran continued:

"I am in favor of the return of Saad Natiq and Ahmed Ibrahim to lead the national team's defense. This duo has great experience and a long history in continental matches, and they can restore balance to the defense line, which has been suffering from some gaps recently."