The absence of Amjad Atwan, a player from Zakho team, from the list of the Iraqi national team announced by coach Graham Arnold for the Asian playoff matches qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, has raised a wave of questions and astonishment in the Iraqi sports community, especially since the player is considered one of the most prominent midfielders in the country in terms of experience and consistency in performance.

Arnold announced last Friday a list of 28 players in preparation for the matches against Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, while it was expected that Atwan would be among the names, given his impressive performances this season with Zakho in the Iraqi Stars League.

According to special sources for the winwin website, the decision to exclude Atwan was purely technical, as he was compared with a group of players occupying the same position, namely: Osama Rashid, Amir Al-Amari, Zidan Iqbal, and Kevin Yaqoub.

After a thorough study of each player's specifications, Arnold decided to exclude Atwan despite his strong belief in his capabilities, due to the similarity of his technical characteristics with Al-Amari and Rashid, as all three rely on the same roles in midfield, which forced the coach to sacrifice one of them.

The sources indicated that Arnold faced great difficulty in making the decision, as Atwan enjoys high technical and physical readiness, and regularly participates with his club, adding that "the coach still values the player's position and considers him one of the elements that can return to the national team at any time."

Despite the shock that hit the fans and followers, the player dealt with the situation with great calm and high self-confidence, as he continued regular training with Zakho and focused on delivering his best in the upcoming stage.

The sources stated that Atwan "fully realizes that his absence will not be long, and that returning to the Iraqi national team is just a matter of time, especially if he continues to deliver the same outstanding performance with his team."

It was also noted that "coach Arnold himself is facing significant pressure, and his future may be linked to the results of the national team in the Asian playoffs, which means that doors are not closed for any player, including Amjad Atwan, who enjoys wide respect from both the coach and the fans alike."

Atwan is considered one of the players with long experience with the Iraqi national team, having played 83 international matches in which he scored 4 goals, and his market value is about 900 thousand dollars, making him one of the most expensive Iraqi players at the moment.

During the current season with Zakho, he participated in 3 matches and scored 2 goals despite being assigned defensive roles by coach Wissam Razeq, who relies on him as a pivot player combining physical strength and playmaking ability.

Meanwhile, the players of the Black Falcons have started heading to the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to enter a closed training camp in preparation for the playoff matches against Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, scheduled for October 11 and 14.

The Iraqi sports community hopes that Atwan will soon regain his place in the national team, especially since the consistent performance he is delivering with Zakho makes him one of the top candidates to return to the Black Falcons' lineup.