The player Kevin Yaqub, star of Aarhus in Denmark and the Iraqi national team, has set the month of October 2023 as the time to repay the fans and the president of the Iraqi Football Association, Adnan Darjal, confirming his determination to help the Lions of Mesopotamia in their journey towards qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

Yaqub has returned to wear the Iraqi national team jersey after a long absence due to a serious knee injury he suffered against Colombia in June 2023, during which he experienced a difficult period that included treatment and rehabilitation lasting two full years.

Yaqub stated in remarks to the Iraqi national team's website: "I feel a great pride in returning to represent Iraq again. My absence was filled with challenges and setbacks, but with the support of the fans and officials, I came back stronger. My goal from the beginning was to return and contribute to achieving the dream of reaching the World Cup, and now I am ready for that."

He added: "The president of the federation, Adnan Darjal, has not left me since the day of my injury, and he promised me the best medical care and fulfilled all his promises. I will remain grateful to him for the rest of my life, and I will repay the favor by helping the national team in the upcoming Asian playoff."

He also expressed his gratitude to the Iraqi fans, confirming: "I have received countless messages from fans who have given me the motivation to continue and not give up. Without them, I would not be here today. I say thank you from the heart, and we will strive together to achieve the dream of the World Cup and celebrate in Baghdad, Basra, and all the cities of Iraq."

Yaqub concluded by talking about his relationship with captain Younis Mahmoud, indicating that he has been his role model since childhood and continued to support him during his injury, adding: "I hope we can achieve a similar accomplishment to that of 2007 with this generation."

Kevin Yaqub recently participated in Iraq's friendly match against Hong Kong, delivering a remarkable performance that impressed analysts, enhancing his chances of being included in the starting lineup for upcoming competitions.