‘Lion of Mesopotamia’: How Aymen Hussein beat tragedy to reach World Cup
Summary
Aymen Hussein is an Iraqi football player who helped Iraq reach the World Cup for the first time in 40 years by scoring a winning goal. Despite facing family tragedies, including the murder of his father and the kidnapping of his brother, he continued pursuing his dream and became a top scorer in several tournaments.Key Facts
- Aymen Hussein scored the winning goal against Bolivia that qualified Iraq for the World Cup after 40 years.
- His father, a soldier, was killed by al-Qaeda while buying building materials in 2008.
- His older brother was kidnapped during ISIS control of their area and has not been found since.
- Hussein joined the Iraqi Youth football team and later played for clubs like Dohuk, Al-Shorta, Al-Talaba, and Al-Zawraa.
- He became the top scorer in the Iraqi league and played professionally in Qatar.
- Hussein is Iraq’s most expensive footballer with a contract reportedly worth $1 million.
- He scored important goals in the AFC Under-23 Asian Cup Championship in 2016 and the Arabian Gulf Cup in 2023.
- He credits his mother with encouraging him to continue playing football despite hardships.
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