Wikipedia

Iraq–Saudi Arabia football rivalry

Iraq and Saudi Arabia are two fierce rivals of the Arab world. Their matches are often considered to be one of the most heated rivalries in the world.

Iraq–Saudi Arabia rivalry
Other namesIraq vs Saudi Arabia
LocationAsia (AFC)
West Asia (WAFF)
Teams Iraq
 Saudi Arabia
First meeting29 March 1976
(48 years ago)
Latest meetingSaudi Arabia 0–2 Iraq
25th Arabian Gulf Cup
(9 January 2023)
Statistics
Meetings total40
Most winsIraq (18)
Largest victorySaudi Arabia 1–7 Iraq
4th Arabian Gulf Cup
(29 March 1976)

Although received lesser attention comparing to rivalry with Iran of both sides, it is one of the oldest rivalries in Asia.[1] Emotions often run high when two teams meet each others.

Reason behind the rivalry

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The main reasons for this rivalry are political differences, and historical grievances. During the Gulf War in the 1990s, Iraq invaded Kuwait, an ally of Saudi Arabia, and both fought a short but bloody war that would continue to have a major impact on their relations.[2] Due to the Gulf War of 1991, Saudi Arabia and Iraq had no official diplomatic relations, resulting in the 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification matches between the two nations being held on neutral grounds of Bahrain and Jordan.

Recently, accusations from Iraq that Saudi Arabia is instigating terrorist groups, like ISIS and Al-Qaeda, further deepened enmity between the two nations.

Major tournament matches

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1976 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Iraq  1–1  Saudi Arabia
Ahmed   86' Al Mugnim   4'

1976 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Iraq  2–1  Saudi Arabia
Subhi   13'
Hassan   41'		 Bakhit   54'

1982 FIFA World Cup qualification

First round
Saudi Arabia  1–0  Iraq
Mohammad   82'
Referee: Rubio Vesquez (Mexico)

1994 FIFA World Cup qualification

Final round
Iraq  1–1  Saudi Arabia
Radhi   1' Owairan   36'
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Quiniou (France)

1996 AFC Asian Cup

Group stage
Saudi Arabia  1–0  Iraq
Al-Mehallel   26' Report
Attendance: 12,000

2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

Final round
Saudi Arabia  1–0  Iraq
Al-Dosari   45' Report
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Lu Jun (China)

2002 FIFA World Cup qualification

Final round
Iraq  1–2  Saudi Arabia
Al-Hail   31' Report Shehan   1', 77'
Attendance: 17,000

2004 AFC Asian Cup

Group stage
Saudi Arabia  1–2  Iraq
Al-Montashari   57' Report Akram   51'
Mahmoud   86'
Attendance: 15,000

2007 AFC Asian Cup

Final
Iraq  1–0  Saudi Arabia
Mahmoud   72' Report
Attendance: 60,000

2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Iraq  0–2  Saudi Arabia
Report
Attendance: 12,000

2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Saudi Arabia  2–1  Iraq
 Report
Attendance: 21,600
Referee: Masaaki Toma (Japan)

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Iraq  1–2  Saudi Arabia
 Report
Attendance: 3,400

2018 FIFA World Cup qualification

Saudi Arabia  1–0  Iraq
Attendance: 60,153

Matches

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Source:[3]
# Date Competition Home team Score Away team Goals (home) Goals (away) Venue
1 22 August 1975 1976 Olympic qualification[a] Iraq   0–2   Saudi Arabia   Tehran
2 25 November 1975 1976 AFC Asian Cup qualification Iraq   1–1   Saudi Arabia Ahmed   86' Al-Mugnim   4'   Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad
3 2 December 1975 Iraq   2–1   Saudi Arabia Subhi   13', Hassan   42' Bakhit   54'   Al-Shaab Stadium, Baghdad
4 29 March 1976 1976 Gulf Cup Saudi Arabia   1–7   Iraq Suroor   82' Waal   3', Abdul-Jalil   6', Hassan   25', Kadhim   45', 60', 68'
Subhi   89' 		  Doha
5 31 August 1976 Friendly Saudi Arabia   0–0   Iraq   Riyadh
6 14 December 1978 1978 Asian Games Iraq   1–1   Saudi Arabia Ali   40'   Bangkok
7 8 April 1979 1979 Gulf Cup Iraq   2–0   Saudi Arabia Hassan   24', Farhan   36'   Al Shaab Stadium, Baghdad
8 21 March 1981 1982 FIFA World Cup qualification Saudi Arabia   1–0   Iraq Dabo   82'   Al Malaz Stadium, Riyadh
9 24 March 1982 1982 Gulf Cup Iraq   1–1   Saudi Arabia  
10 1 December 1982 1982 Asian Games Saudi Arabia   0–1   Iraq H.Mohammed   17'   Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, New Delhi
11 17 March 1984 1984 Gulf Cup Iraq   4–0   Saudi Arabia Shaker   25', Saeed   57', 70', 84'   Royal Oman Police Stadium, Muscat
12 10 July 1985 1985 Arab Nations Cup Iraq   3–2   Saudi Arabia Abid   12', 18', Rashid   28' Nu'eimeh   12' (pen.), Al-Jawad   88'   King Fahd Stadium, Taif
13 14 August 1985 1985 Pan Arab Games[b] Iraq   2–1   Saudi Arabia Radhi     Abdullah   21' (pen.)   Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca
14 30 March 1986 1986 Gulf Cup Iraq   1–2   Saudi Arabia Saddam   75'   Manama
15 1 October 1986 1986 Asian Games Saudi Arabia   1–1 (a.e.t.)[c]   Iraq Al-Shehrani   39' H.Mohammed   51'   Seoul Olympic Stadium, Seoul
16 4 December 1987 1988 Olympic qualification[a] Saudi Arabia   0–0   Iraq   Riyadh
17 1 January 1988 Iraq   1–1   Saudi Arabia Shaker   51' (pen.)   Muscat
18 16 March 1988 1988 Gulf Cup Iraq   2–0   Saudi Arabia Radhi   59', Gorgis   72'   King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh
19 15 July 1988 1988 Arab Nations Cup Iraq   2–0   Saudi Arabia Radhi   13', 35'   Amman
20 24 October 1993 1994 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq   1–1   Saudi Arabia Radhi   1' Owairan   36'   Khalifa International Stadium, Doha
21 8 December 1996 1996 AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia   1–0   Iraq Al-Mehallel   26'   Al-Maktoum Stadium, Dubai
22 31 August 2001 2002 FIFA World Cup qualification Saudi Arabia   1–0   Iraq Al-Dosari   45'   Bahrain National Stadium, Manama
23 5 October 2001 Iraq   1–2   Saudi Arabia Abu Al-Hail   31' Shehan   1', 77'   Amman International Stadium, Amman
24 26 July 2004 2004 AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia   1–2   Iraq Al-Montashari   57' Akram   51', Mahmoud   86'   Sichuan Longquanyi Stadium, Chengdu
25 5 December 2005 2005 West Asian Games Iraq   5–1   Saudi Arabia Abdul-Amir   8', E.Mohammed   19', Akram   30', Mahmoud   51', 78' Al-Qadi   53'   Ahmed bin Ali Stadium, Al Rayyan
26 8 December 2005 Iraq   2–0   Saudi Arabia Salah   33', Farhan   85'  
27 15 March 2006 Friendly Saudi Arabia   2–2   Iraq Temyat   18', Al-Jaber   59' Shakroun   28', Abdul-Amir   90+4'   Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium, Jeddah
28 24 January 2007 2007 Gulf Cup Saudi Arabia   1–0   Iraq Al-Qahtani   12' (pen.)   Al-Nahyan Stadium, Abu Dhabi
29 29 July 2007 2007 AFC Asian Cup Iraq   1–0   Saudi Arabia Mahmoud   72'   Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta
30 22 March 2009 Friendly Saudi Arabia   0–0   Iraq   King Fahd International Stadium, Riyadh
31 28 December 2010 Saudi Arabia   0–1   Iraq Mahmoud   24'   Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam
32 5 July 2012 2012 Arab Nations Cup Saudi Arabia   0–1   Iraq Abdul-Zahra   16'   Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium, Jeddah
33 6 January 2013 2013 Gulf Cup Saudi Arabia   0–2   Iraq Shaker   18', Hawsawi   72' (o.g.)   Khalifa Sports City Stadium, Isa Town
34 15 October 2013 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification Iraq   0–2   Saudi Arabia Hawsawi   34', Al-Shamrani   78'   Amman International Stadium, Amman
35 15 November 2013 Saudi Arabia   2–1   Iraq Jassim   18', Al-Shamrani   60' Mahmoud   45+1'   Prince Mohamed bin Fahd Stadium, Dammam
36 6 September 2016 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification Iraq   1–2   Saudi Arabia Abdul-Raheem   18' Al-Abed   81' (pen.), 88' (pen.)   Shah Alam Stadium, Shah Alam
37 28 March 2017 Saudi Arabia   1–0   Iraq Al-Shehri   53'   King Abdullah Sports City, Jeddah
38 28 February 2018 Friendly Iraq   4–1   Saudi Arabia Al-Robeai   21' (o.g.), Mohsin   47', Ali   51', 73' Fallatah   57'   Basra International Stadium, Basra
39 15 October 2018 Saudi Arabia   1–1   Iraq Al-Bishi   90+4' Ali   71'   King Saud University Stadium, Riyadh
40 9 January 2023 2023 Gulf Cup Saudi Arabia   0–2   Iraq Bayesh   30', Rostam   86'   Basra International Stadium, Basra
  1. ^ a b Not a full FIFA international
  2. ^ Iraq competed in the tournament with its B team squad.
  3. ^ Saudi Arabia won on penalties.

Statistics

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Matches held in Iraq 5
Matches held in neutral venue 23
Matches held in Saudi Arabia 12
Total matches 40
Matches won by Iraq 18
Matches won by Saudi Arabia 11

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Match Preview: Iraq vs Saudi Arabia". 27 February 2018. Archived from the original on 7 August 2018. Retrieved 14 June 2018.
  2. ^ "World Cup '94-political Football". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 2015-05-12.
  3. ^ "Iraq national football team: Record v Saudi%20Arabia". Archived from the original on 2016-06-16. Retrieved 2018-06-14.
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