Ahmed Makenzie Called Up to Iraq's Squad

The coaching staff of the Iraq national team made an urgent decision to call up left-back Ahmed Hassan Makenzie, a player from Al-Karma club, to join the Lions of Mesopotamia squad participating in the 2026 World Cup finals.

The decision came immediately after confirming Ahmed Yahya's absence from the tournament due to an injury he sustained in the recent friendly against Spain at the Riazor Stadium.

The scenario was harsh for Ahmed Yahya and the coaching staff led by Graham Arnold. The player entered the field as a substitute in the 62nd minute of the match against Spain, but lasted only 10 minutes. In the 72nd minute, he was forced to leave the field holding his injury site, after feeling severe pain that prevented him from completing the match.

Medical reports that Yahya underwent after the match confirmed that the injury is severe and will deprive him of participating in the World Cup. The absence of a player of Ahmed Yahya's caliber represents a clear technical loss, especially since he is one of the names Arnold relies on in the left flank after Mirkhas Dosky, due to his speed, offensive boldness, and ability to quickly return defensively.

After confirming Yahya's absence, the coaching staff quickly moved to cover the deficiency in the left-back position. The choice fell on Ahmed Hassan Makenzie, the Al-Karma full-back who was previously in the initial list announced by Arnold before the final squad announcement. The Australian coach was convinced of the young player's capabilities, but preferred to exclude him at the last moment for technical and physical reasons related to the readiness of the main lineup.

Today, the opportunity returns to Makenzie once again, but this time in a completely different situation. The player will find himself suddenly facing the responsibility of representing Iraq in the world's largest football event, without a long preparation period, but with the experience of previous camp presence and interaction with the group.

The coaching staff will work on preparing Makenzie psychologically and physically during the Chicago training sessions, and give him enough confidence to quickly get into the atmosphere. Arnold knows that confidence is half the battle for a player participating in his first World Cup, so it is expected that he will give him minutes in the friendly against Venezuela to practically test him before the group matches begin.