Iraqi players expressed overwhelming joy at qualifying for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico after defeating Bolivia 2-1 in the global playoff final, affirming that the achievement is a culmination of a long journey of work and sacrifices.

Kevin Yakoub said in statements after the match: "The feeling of qualifying for the World Cup represents an exceptional moment in my career. The Iraqi fans have suffered a lot over the past years and deserved this joy."

He added: "Qualifying is a very great feeling; football means everything to the Iraqi people, and we are happy to achieve a dream that took 40 years. This achievement made our people and our fans everywhere happy, which is very important for us as players. This day is the best of my life ever, and nothing compares to our feeling now."

He continued: "The fans supported us from all over the world during a long and difficult journey, and this qualification means a lot to us. We will start preparing for the finals from now to present a level worthy of Iraq's name on the global stage."

Aymar Sheer confirmed: "The Lions of Mesopotamia played a great match against Bolivia, showing high passion and fighting spirit. Our goal was to represent more than 46 million Iraqis in the best way on the field. This joy is deserved after great efforts made by the team, we suffered a lot in the qualifiers."

He added: "Facing Bolivia was difficult against a strong and organized team, but the best team on the field deserves the win, and we succeeded in presenting a distinguished level and deciding the match. We hope to continue making history in the finals."

Zidan Iqbal said: "The fans played a big role in supporting us throughout the qualifiers, even after losing the direct qualification opportunity against Saudi Arabia. They did not lose hope in us."

He added: "We felt the extent of support despite some criticisms and negative talk, but the team continued to work and focus to achieve the goal. The qualification came after four years of continuous work, and it is the fruit of everyone's efforts."

He concluded: "We delivered an outstanding performance in the qualifiers, we are very happy with this achievement, and I congratulate the fans and all team members on qualifying for the 2026 World Cup next summer."

Between Yakoub's words about "the best day of his life," Sheer's affirmation of representing 46 million, and Iqbal's emphasis on working despite negative talk, the picture is clear: a team that believed in the long road and turned pressure into motivation to secure a spot among the greats in a group that includes France, Norway, and Senegal, and starts now writing the next chapter.