Saudi Green's Golden Record Against Iraq in World Cup Qualifiers

The Saudi national football team has consistently proven its superiority over its Iraqi counterpart whenever the two teams meet in the World Cup qualifiers, as history clearly favors the "Green" in these decisive encounters.

The first match between the two teams in the World Cup qualifiers was recorded on March 21, 1981, at Prince Faisal bin Fahd Stadium in Riyadh, where the "Falcons" faced an Iraqi team armed with the stars of its golden generation, which later shone in the Gulf and Arab championships and reached the 1986 World Cup.

Despite the predictions favoring Iraq due to prominent names like Adnan Dirjal, Raad Hammoudi, Nazem Shaaker, and Hussein Saeed, Saudi Arabia managed to defy expectations thanks to Amin Dabo's goal in the 82nd minute after a pass from Youssef Khamis, giving the Green a historic victory that changed the dynamics of the group.

Dabo later confirmed that the victory was "one of the hardest to achieve during that period," pointing to the joy of Prince Faisal bin Fahd, which remained etched in his memory, especially since the win was the gateway for Saudi Arabia to qualify for the second round of the qualifiers at Iraq's expense.

The encounter was renewed in the 1994 qualifiers in Qatar, where they drew 1-1 after Iraq took the lead with a goal from Ahmed Radhi before Saeed Al-Owairan equalized, in an exciting match that kept Saudi hopes alive as they secured qualification for the first time in their history after defeating Iran later.

The Green continued its dominance in the 2002 qualifiers, winning 1-0 away in Bahrain and 2-1 at home in Jordan, achieving a perfect score against Iraq and qualifying again for the World Cup. The scenario repeated in the 2018 qualifiers, with a double Saudi victory of 2-1 in Malaysia and 1-0 in Jeddah, confirming Saudi Arabia's continued dominance in qualifying matches over the decades.

Historically, whenever the road to the World Cup approaches, the Green succeeds in extinguishing the hopes of the ambitious "Iraqi generation," affirming that the Falcons' dominance was not a coincidence but a legacy extending from the 1980s to the present day.