Haydeer Abdulkareem joins Iraq's delegation from Baghdad to Jeddah

Young Al Nassr player Haydeer Abdulkareem has traveled with the national team delegation from Baghdad to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to participate in the AFC Asian Cup "Gulf 27" starting next Wednesday.

Sources close to the national team revealed that the 22-year-old player had left the residence of his club Al Nassr earlier, after receiving the green light and official approval from the coaching staff of the Saudi club to travel to Baghdad and join the Iraq national team directly.

Haydeer Abdulkareem is considered one of the surprises that Arnold has prepared for the Gulf tournament, despite not having participated with the first team of Al Nassr in official matches. However, the Australian coach is convinced of his technical abilities and sees him as a valuable asset that can be utilized, especially since he is fully aware of the atmosphere of the Saudi Pro League and the stadiums of the Kingdom. This will provide the national team with an additional advantage as he will serve as Arnold's "eyes" in Saudi Arabia.

Arnold has included Haydeer Abdulkareem in his final squad for the tournament, which features strong teams in Group A, including hosts Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Kuwait. The coach is relying on youth and refreshing the squad in preparation for upcoming challenges, most notably the AFC Asian Cup 2027.

Haydeer Abdulkareem joins at a time when the national team delegation has just arrived in Jeddah, coming from Baghdad, with the rest of the professionals set to join throughout the day. The Lions of Mesopotamia will begin their first training sessions in preparation for the anticipated opening match against Oman on Wednesday at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium.

Iraqi fans hope that Haydeer Abdulkareem will be one of the names to shine in this edition of the AFC Asian Cup, especially as he represents a new generation of Iraqi professionals in the major leagues.