Who is Iraq's Next Opponent? Meet the Venezuelan National Team

Before the Lions of Mesopotamia play their final friendly match against Venezuela early Wednesday in Chicago, it is useful to take a look at their Latin opponent.

The 'La Vinotinto' team has a unique character within the South American continent, despite being the only team in the continent that has not yet succeeded in reaching the World Cup finals.

The Venezuelan Football Federation was established in 1926 and joined FIFA and the South American Football Confederation 'CONMEBOL' in 1952.

The local federation's nickname became famous for the burgundy color, which is the same color that distinguishes the traditional team jerseys, thus the name 'La Vinotinto' has been associated with the team for many years. Despite its early establishment, its international presence remained limited for a long time compared to its neighbors Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Currently, the Venezuelan national team ranks 49th in the FIFA world rankings, a position that reflects its gradual development over the last decade.

The best ranking it achieved was 25th globally in December 2019, a golden period that witnessed the emergence of a new generation of players.

In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the team had a tough journey within the fiery South American group, finishing in eighth place with only 8 points. The direct tickets went to Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Colombia, and Ecuador, leaving the World Cup dream postponed once again.

To date, La Vinotinto has not succeeded in qualifying for the World Cup in any edition since the tournament's inception in 1930 in Uruguay.

Despite the absence from the World Cup, the team boasts a historical achievement it is proud of. In the 2011 Copa America hosted by Argentina, the Venezuelan team succeeded in reaching the semifinals and achieving fourth place after a journey that included remarkable victories.

That generation left a mark in Venezuelan football memory and is considered a turning point that made the national team more respected on the continental level.

The historical top scorer for the team is Salomón Rondón, who remains the leader and the main figure in the attack, with 50 international goals according to the latest statistics.

Rondón currently plays with Pachuca in Mexico, providing the team with physical strength and experience in handling big matches. Alongside him, midfielder Yangel Herrera, a star of Girona in Spain, stands out as one of the key players the coach relies on to build play and control the pace of the match.

Venezuela does not rely on a single national stadium, but rather its official matches rotate between several stadiums. The most prominent today is the Monumental Stadium in Maturín, which is the largest in the country with a capacity of 52,000 spectators and hosted most of the recent World Cup qualifying matches.

Historically, the Pueblo Nuevo Stadium in San Cristóbal and the Cachamay Stadium in Puerto Ordaz are among the venues that witnessed important memories for the team.

Regarding matches against Arab Asian teams, La Vinotinto holds a clean record with a full success rate. The last five friendlies it played against teams from the region all ended with Venezuela's victory.

They won twice against Saudi Arabia with scores of 2-1 in March 2023 and 1-0 in June 2022, defeated the UAE 4-0 in September 2022 and 2-0 in October 2018, and also beat Syria 2-1 in November 2022.

This record makes the match against Iraq a real test for the Lions of Mesopotamia to break this jinx and achieve the first Arab Asian victory over the Latin team.