The name of Muntadhar Al-Majid, the Swedish Hammarby player, returns to the forefront again in the Iraqi sports scene, following the impressive performances he delivers in the Swedish Premier League and his ability to lead his team to remarkable results despite his young age.

The 21-year-old player has been absent from the Iraqi national team for a long period, with his last participation with the 'Lions of Mesopotamia' in September 2025 against Hong Kong, despite his consistent performance with his club.

Iraqi coach Khalaf Karim confirmed that Al-Majid possesses good technical capabilities, but he has not had enough time to prove himself with the national team in past periods.

He stated that the player is not a secondary option but is capable of providing the team with additional solutions whenever given the chance, whether in the attacking side or moving within the penalty area and shooting on goal.

He added that some coaches previously called for giving him more minutes, but the lack of participation affected his technical continuity. He pointed out that the current phase witnesses a clear direction to bring the player back into the national team's considerations and give him a chance to regain his level.

Karim emphasized that the technical staff is required to give Al-Majid more playing minutes, believing in his abilities, as confidence and support will significantly contribute to improving his level.

He explained that the Iraqi national team is approaching an important phase and needs all its elements, and giving young players the opportunity is a necessary step to build a balanced team capable of competing.

The player himself recently spoke about his absence and admitted to making some mistakes he regrets, but he stressed that representing Iraq remains a pride he never regrets.

Al-Majid had apologized for not joining the national team's camp during the UAE matches in the Asian playoff qualifying for the World Cup due to feeling ill, which led to his exclusion from the Bolivia match in the global playoff.

In the Iraqi sports community, several coaches believe that Al-Majid's exclusion was not for technical reasons but due to disciplinary factors.

They believe that the player's return to the national team is contingent on restoring harmony between him and the technical staff, especially since his level with Hammarby confirms he is capable of adding technical value to the forward line.

The return of Muntadhar Al-Majid to the national team could be an important card for Arnold in the upcoming phase, especially with the need for players who possess an attacking tendency and the ability to move without the ball within the opponent's areas.