Graham Arnold Calls Up Air Force Striker to Iraq Squad
Australian coach Graham Arnold, the head coach of the Iraqi national team, has decided to call up Air Force striker Mohamed Jawad to the squad of the Lions of Mesopotamia, to replace striker Ali Al-Hamadi, after official medical reports confirmed that the latter is not fit to participate in the Asian playoff matches qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Sources within the Iraqi Football Association clarified that "the decision came after consultations between the coaching and medical staff of the team, following an assessment of the latest developments regarding Al-Hamadi's injury, where it was determined that he is unable to participate in the upcoming matches due to not fully recovering from the injury he sustained with his English club Luton Town."
The sources added: "The medical staff of the national team has been in continuous contact with the medical team at Luton Town in recent days, but the club's reports confirmed that the player still needs additional treatment time before returning to the field, which led Arnold to make his final decision to exclude him from the squad."
The source indicated that "the Australian coach preferred Mohamed Jawad as the most suitable option to compensate for Al-Hamadi's absence, especially since the player has been performing outstandingly with Air Force since the start of the season, and was one of the key contributors to his team's victory in the Iraqi Clasico against Al-Zawraa."
He continued: "Mohamed Jawad possesses high physical abilities and tactical flexibility that allow him to play in more than one attacking position, which aligns with Arnold's style based on high pressing and quick transitions from defense to attack."
Mohamed Jawad is scheduled to join the national team's camp in Jeddah in the coming hours, in preparation for the match against Indonesia next Saturday at King Abdullah International Stadium, as part of the first round of the Asian playoff competitions qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, and the team will face the Saudi national team on the 14th of the same month in the second round.
Sources within the Iraqi Football Association clarified that "the decision came after consultations between the coaching and medical staff of the team, following an assessment of the latest developments regarding Al-Hamadi's injury, where it was determined that he is unable to participate in the upcoming matches due to not fully recovering from the injury he sustained with his English club Luton Town."
The sources added: "The medical staff of the national team has been in continuous contact with the medical team at Luton Town in recent days, but the club's reports confirmed that the player still needs additional treatment time before returning to the field, which led Arnold to make his final decision to exclude him from the squad."
The source indicated that "the Australian coach preferred Mohamed Jawad as the most suitable option to compensate for Al-Hamadi's absence, especially since the player has been performing outstandingly with Air Force since the start of the season, and was one of the key contributors to his team's victory in the Iraqi Clasico against Al-Zawraa."
He continued: "Mohamed Jawad possesses high physical abilities and tactical flexibility that allow him to play in more than one attacking position, which aligns with Arnold's style based on high pressing and quick transitions from defense to attack."
Mohamed Jawad is scheduled to join the national team's camp in Jeddah in the coming hours, in preparation for the match against Indonesia next Saturday at King Abdullah International Stadium, as part of the first round of the Asian playoff competitions qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, and the team will face the Saudi national team on the 14th of the same month in the second round.
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