The 2024 Asian Cup begins next week but in 2007 Iraq were in disarray before finding goals and harmony in Indonesia
In 2007, four years after the US-led invasion of Iraq, the Lions of Mesopotamia, in what has been considered one of sports greatest underdog stories, lifted Iraq’s first Asian Cup.
On the eve of the 2007 final, their head coach, Jorvan Vieira, made his players sit on the pitch at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta. “Look around,” he told them. “Here, tomorrow, is our match. I don’t think we’ll get to this point again.” The message was clear – the players had to take their chance. They, in turn, were united in agreement.
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