Al-Karma and Iraq national football team striker, Ayman Hussein, faced a new wave of criticism amidst a decline in his scoring performance during the current season of the Iraq Stars League, ahead of the anticipated clash for the Lions of Mesopotamia in the global playoff qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

In this context, former international player Nabras Salman shared his observations regarding the Iraqi striker's level, noting that Ayman Hussein's overall performance in recent times does not meet the expected standard, especially with important national team commitments approaching.

Ayman Hussein (29 years old) played only 10 matches out of 21 rounds for his team Al-Karma this season, during which he managed to score three goals, his lowest tally in the championship for several years, raising many questions about his technical and physical readiness.

Salman explained that scoring two goals in his team's match against Erbil does not necessarily reflect a return to his usual form, especially since both goals came from penalty kicks, pointing out that the striker's movements on the field appeared slow in several instances, particularly in attacks he attempted to finish directly without turning them into real opportunities on the opponent's goal.

He added that the player's slow movement in recent matches could cost his team a lot in upcoming encounters, stressing that such performance does not align with the stature of a striker like Ayman Hussein, who is considered one of the most prominent attacking assets whether with his club Al-Karma or with the Iraqi national team aspiring to achieve the dream of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.

Salman pointed out that the solution lies in intensive work during upcoming training sessions, as the player needs to regain his physical readiness and improve his movement within the penalty area, alongside developing his flexibility and ability to finish attacks more effectively, which are essential elements for any striker leading the national team's attack in crucial matches.

He confirmed that Ayman Hussein represents the offensive leader of the Iraq national team, and his absence from his true form could clearly affect the offensive capability of the Lions of Mesopotamia during the global playoff match, especially since the player excels in strong headers and decisive shots, which are offensive weapons needed by the team in such confrontations.

In conclusion, Salman mentioned that Australian coach Graham Arnold might benefit if Iraq's match in the global playoff is postponed, as it would grant players, including Ayman Hussein, additional time to regain their technical and physical levels before the decisive encounter.

It is noteworthy that Ayman Hussein played his last match with the Iraqi national team against the Bahrain national football team in the 2025 Arab Cup held in Qatar on December 3, 2025, where he scored Iraq's first goal before later stepping away from the national team due to injury.