Naft Maysan Club recorded a historic precedent considered the first of its kind in the Iraq Stars League under its current and previous names, after signing a European goalkeeper, a step never before witnessed in the Iraqi league, as the goalkeeper position had long been reserved exclusively for local players.

This signing comes at a time when Naft Maysan is going through difficult circumstances in the Iraq Stars League competitions, despite relative improvement in its results during recent rounds, where the team occupies the eighteenth place with only 7 points collected from 12 matches, making it in urgent need to strengthen its squad, especially in the goalkeeper position.

Naft Maysan Club announced through its official social media accounts the signing of Croatian goalkeeper Antonio Tuta, coming from the Lithuanian club Etrai. The player arrived in Iraq this morning in preparation for his official presentation and joining the ranks of the Knights of the Kingdom, according to the club's statement.

This deal carries an exceptional character, as Antonio Tuta will be the first European goalkeeper to represent one of the Iraqi league clubs, a precedent that has never happened before, especially since the Iraqi Football Federation regulations had prohibited contracting foreign goalkeepers to support and develop local goalkeepers.

The Tuta deal came after an urgent decision by the Iraqi Football Federation allowing clubs to sign five new players during the current winter transfer window, including two professionals and three local players, with an exception for the goalkeeper position this time due to the pressure of league matches and the delayed competition schedule this season.

The Iraq Stars League has witnessed repeated stoppages since its launch last September due to the Iraqi national team's commitments in the decisive qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, in addition to playoff matches and participation in the 2025 Arab Cup in Qatar, which clearly affected the competition pace and match schedule.

Returning to the details of the deal, Croatian goalkeeper Antonio Tuta is 30 years old and joined Naft Maysan on a free transfer after his contract with Lithuanian club Etrai ended. According to the "Transfermarkt" website, the goalkeeper's market value is about 150,000 euros.

Tuta has extensive professional experience, having previously played for several clubs in the leagues of Croatia, Austria, Iceland, Ireland, and Lithuania, but he has never represented the Croatian national team internationally. His current experience with Naft Maysan is his first in Arab leagues, the Middle East, and the Asian continent.

This deal is expected to contribute to strengthening Naft Maysan's chances in the upcoming phase of the league, as the management and technical staff seek to improve the team's results and escape from the lower ranks, with the winter transfer market remaining open until the fifth of the month.