Hours before the crucial encounter against Bolivia in the global playoff final qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, Iraq national team and Al-Shorta club player Mustafa Sadoun sent a touching message of support to his teammates, despite being absent from the squad due to injury, reminding everyone of the weight of the moment and the meaning of the jersey they wear.

Sadoun said: "After the referee blew the final whistle against the UAE, my tears fell without permission… I felt we were close to our dream. Iraq… our everlasting joy and the only thing we love unconditionally. To my fellow players — behind you is a nation of all its colors, hands raised to the sky, and tongues praying. Arm yourselves with the belt of the homeland… do it, and spread the wings of joy. Do it for those who sacrificed… for those who waited. Do it for the Iraq that never dies. Do it for a country where martyrs and innocents were killed without any guilt. We are all Iraq."

Sadoun's absence from the squad due to injury did not prevent him from playing a role no less important within the system: strengthening the group's bonds and charging them morally. In major camps, the "twelfth player" is sometimes the voice that reminds everyone of the deeper reason to fight for every ball. The message arrived at a perfect time — the night of a match described as the "match of a lifetime" to reach the World Cup for the second time after the 1986 participation.

Inside the closed Monterrey camp, where coach Graham Arnold imposed discipline and calm, such messages are additional fuel for the victory mentality that the technical staff is working to instill. The connection between technical responsibility and the national dimension gives players a clearer mental framework: commitment to the plan, quick defensive transition, and greater effectiveness in front of the goal, not only because they are technical details that decide playoff matches, but also because they are the best way to translate popular support into a result.

On platforms, Sadoun's words received wide interaction; fans reposted clips and photos from previous team stations accompanied by the phrase "We are all Iraq," while others considered that this spirit is what the "Lions of Mesopotamia" need on the night of Monterrey: calm in the head, and fire in the heart. The challenge now is to turn this energy into discipline on the field — avoiding cards, managing the early minutes cautiously, and exploiting the spaces behind Bolivia's full-backs with quick counterattacks.