Arkan Najib sends message to Arnold ahead of Gulf Cup 27

Iraqi football legend Arkan Najib has given important advice to Australian Graham Arnold, the coach of our national team, just days before the start of the FIFA World Cup "Gulf 27" in Saudi Arabia, which will kick off on September 23 with a highly anticipated match between Iraq and Oman.

Iraq's national team is in a tough Group A alongside hosts Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait. The Iraqi delegation is scheduled to depart for Saudi Arabia next Sunday to enter a short training camp three days before the opening match.

Najeeb stated in press remarks: "Arnold prepared the plan for the Gulf Cup 27 early on, and when he selected his squad, he relied heavily on the names that participated in the FIFA World Cup 2026. There are players who had their full chance in the World Cup, while others did not, and new names have emerged recently shining in the league. It was necessary to update the squad accordingly."

He added: "The current Iraq squad is quite realistic, despite some observations from specialists and fans. From my personal point of view, I see that there are some incomprehensible absences, such as the Al Zawraa duo Hassan Abdul Karim and Hiran Ahmed, especially Hiran who is having an exceptional season over 8 rounds both in terms of scoring and assisting."

Najeeb explained: "Some players should have been given their full opportunity in previous periods, instead of other names that did not deliver what was required despite their young age. But overall, the squad is good as it has seen a renewal process and a logical exclusion, especially in the goalkeeper position. I believe the coach this time relied on both age and level criteria, not just level alone, and this is part of his future strategy for the national team."

The former star of the Lions of Mesopotamia concluded his remarks with a message to the fans, saying: "Iraqi fans are called upon to support the national team with all their strength in this tournament, because the Gulf Cup is a very difficult competition and there is not a single easy match at all. The atmosphere is always charged, as if it were derby matches. I believe this edition is the best opportunity to try out the largest number of players and give them the full chance, because historically this tournament has been the real starting point for many stars."