Hussein Saeed sends message to the Lions of Mesopotamia ahead of Saudi Arabia clash in Gulf Cup 27

Hussein Saeed, the former star of Iraqi football and all-time top scorer for Iraq's national team, has sent a message to the players of the Lions of Mesopotamia ahead of their upcoming match against Saudi Arabia in the third round of the group stage of the AFC Asian Cup 27 currently taking place in Jeddah.

Iraq have beaten Kuwait 3-2 in the Gulf Classic on Saturday in a thrilling match where the Lions of Mesopotamia managed to snatch victory in the dying moments of stoppage time, raising their tally to 4 points in second place in Group A.

Hussein Saeed has previously won the top scorer title of the Gulf Cup twice in 1979 and 1984, and he also secured the title with Iraq in those years, scoring 17 officially counted goals in the tournament, making him Iraq's all-time top scorer in the Gulf Cup.

Hussein Saeed stated that the coaching staff of the Iraq national team and the players delivered a beautiful match, and he believes it was one of the best matches of the tournament. Iraq managed to secure a deserved victory and has almost booked a spot in the semi-finals with an 80 to 90 percent chance.

He added that, God willing, Iraq will be able to continue its journey towards building a good team that possesses young elements and capabilities that qualify it to be a competitor not only at the Gulf level but also at the AFC Asian Cup level.

The coach emphasized in his message to the players of the Lions of Mesopotamia that the players must continue with their enthusiasm and drive because football matches are not guaranteed 100 percent, and we must give our all and elevate our level from one match to another.

Iraq players are required today to prove their worth in the tournament, and they must show everyone that they are capable of competing for the title and reaching the final match. This is possible through commitment, hard work, and following the coach's instructions.

He concluded by stating that the Gulf Federation succeeded in selecting FIFA days to hold the Gulf 27 Championship, which allowed Gulf federations to utilize their professional players outside their countries. This decision has brought significant excitement and competitiveness to the tournament and has positively impacted the competition.

Iraq's coach Graham Arnold aims to successfully complete the group stage as Iraq faces Saudi Arabia in the third round next Tuesday in a match to determine the group leader.