Father murdered, brother kidnapped
Iraq’s World Cup hero experienced several strokes of fate
June 15, 2026 – 7:32 a.mReading time: 2 minutes
Aymen Hussein leads Iraq to the World Cup for the first time in 40 years. His biography is marked by violence and loss. The fact that he still plays has to do with one person.
Shortly before Iraq’s World Cup opener against Norway this Wednesday, striker Aymen Hussein spoke about his past. At the age of twelve he lost his father in a murder, and later his brother disappeared without a trace after being kidnapped. Nevertheless, the 30-year-old fought his way to the top of Iraqi football.
In an interview with Al Jazeera, Hussein described his father’s death: “He went shopping to get building materials for our new house that was under construction. A few hours later we received a call with the news: Your father was killed and his body is in the hospital.” And further: “At first we couldn’t believe it. But then we went to the hospital and found my father’s body there. It was a catastrophe for all of us.”
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A few years later, Hussein was hit by another blow: his brother was kidnapped. “We haven’t heard from him since then. I decided to stop playing football to provide for my family, but my mother refused. She asked me to keep playing,” he said. He also had to overcome hurdles when entering the USA – the border guards questioned him for hours.
The game against Norway starts at midnight (MagentaTV and in the live ticker on t-online). Other group opponents are France and Senegal. Iraqi goalkeeper Jalal Hassan said of Hussein, who helped Iraq reach the World Cup: “Aymen is a name that needs no introduction. His achievements speak for themselves, not just in Iraq, but throughout the region and in Arab football. We expect a lot from him.”