Iraqi national team player and Al-Shorta club member, Mustafa Saadoun, has been facing extensive criticism from fans for a while, due to some dissatisfaction with his performance on the pitch, especially after his transfer to the team that has been the champion of the Iraqi Premier League for four consecutive seasons.

Former Iraqi national team right-back, Haidar Mahmoud, confirmed in an interview with winwin that Mustafa Saadoun is a hardworking and distinguished player in defense, and that this criticism is unfair.

He added: "Mustafa is one of the diligent and good players in defense, and if that weren't the case, we wouldn't have seen him play for the Iraqi national team for many years, and a big team like Al-Shorta wouldn't be trying to acquire the player by any means during the summer transfers."

He said: "The fans have been very harsh in their reaction, and instead, they should support the player, especially since he has just transferred to the Green Lantern, and he has international experience and has previously represented Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya locally and continentally, so it is important for the fans to treat him better."

He continued: "I am surprised by the reaction of Al-Shorta fans towards the player's performance in yesterday's match, as he only played for half an hour or less, and this is the team's first match, and most players were not in optimal readiness, and it is natural for some mistakes to occur, but Mustafa did not make any notable mistakes."

He added: "The player needs support in every match he plays, whether with Al-Shorta or the Iraqi national team, and the coaching staff should bear part of the responsibility for relieving him from the psychological pressure he is experiencing, and I hope he does not get affected by what is written on social media because it will not benefit him."

He further stated: "My advice to the player is to remain calm and confident in his abilities, as he is one of the most important players in Iraq, especially in the right-back position, which represents a significant challenge for coach Graham Arnold, and even previously with coach Jesus Casas who relied on Saadoun and Hussein Ali in this position."

The report concluded by noting that Mustafa Saadoun has previously represented the Iraqi national team in 10 official matches, the Olympic team in 9 matches, and has played for clubs such as Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, Al-Sinaa, Al-Hussein, and Al-Kahrabaa, reflecting his extensive experience and contribution to Iraqi football.