Who is Aymen Hussein? Striker who scored Iraq's first World Cup goal in 40 years
(Courtesy : Getty)
Hussein’s goal cancelled Erling Haaland’s opener in the World Cup match.
When Erling Haaland scored for Norway in the 29th minute during the FIFA World Cup 2026 match against Iraq, the Asian side would have been worried. However, a stunning header from Aymen Hussein drew the Lions of Mesopotamia level in Boston Stadium.
Haaland drew first blood before the half-hour mark, scoring with a simple tap-in from a cross by David Moller Wolfe. However, their opponents fought back brilliantly, scoring a stunning 39th-minute goal through the legendary Hussein.
Ali Jasim received the ball and then teed up Amir Al-Ammari, who made a brilliant run into the Norwegian box. The midfielder then floated in an inch-perfect cross into the middle, which was met by a leaping Hussein. The resulting header gave Orjan Nyland no chance, nestling into the back of the net.
This marked only the second goal scored by the Asian giants in the quadrennial tournament, with the last one coming in their only other appearance in 1986. Ahmed Radhi was the one who got that goal in a 2-1 loss to Belgium.
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Aymen Hussein Profile
- Age: 30
- Position: Striker
- Club: Al-Karma
Hussein’s life story is one of perseverance. Born to a poor family of sheep farmers in the village of Al-Safra, he suffered an early tragedy in life when his father, a soldier, was shot and killed by Al-Qaeda. A few years later, his older brother, also a soldier, was kidnapped and has been missing since.
This made Hussein contemplate giving up playing football, but his mother requested that he continue. Spotted as a teenager by Al-Alam, he joined its youth system before moving to several other clubs, including a side in the second tier of the Kurdistan League.
He moved to top-flight side Duhok SC in 2012, and after 18 months there, he moved to Al-Naft. Since then, he has played for a host of clubs in his home country, including Al-Shorta, Al-Talaba, and Al-Zawraa.
The striker has also played for several Qatari sides, recently turning out for Al-Khor SC before signing with Al-Karma in last season’s summer transfer window. He scored nine goals and registered one assist in 18 appearances for his new side last season.
His record with the national team is phenomenal. Since making his debut in 2015, he has earned 92 caps, scoring 33 goals. This makes him his nation’s fifth-highest goalscorer of all time.
Who is Aymen Hussein?
He is a 30‑year‑old striker who plays for Al‑Karma and the Iraq national team, considered one of his nation’s best modern forwards.
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Sushruta has spent over two years covering football, with a particular focus on Indian and international competitions. Alongside football, he has reported on a variety of sports, bringing curiosity and perspective to every story. When he’s not following the action, he can usually be found binge-watching movies or getting lost in a good book.