by Xinhua writer Duan Minfu
BAGHDAD, April 2 (Xinhua) -- At 6 a.m., the first light of dawn crept over Baghdad. The city was not yet fully awake, but along the Tigris River, teahouses were already packed with football fans, their eyes fixed on television screens, anticipation hanging thick in the air.
A whistle pierced the morning calm, and with it, the hopes of tens of millions of Iraqis held their breath. On the pitch, Iraq's men's national football team faced Bolivia in the final intercontinental playoff of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, battling for the last remaining ticket to the global stage.
Nicknamed the "Lions of Mesopotamia," the team has waited 40 years to return to the World Cup since its only appearance in 1986. "We are closer than ever," said Jassim, a fan brimming with confidence before the match. "This is our moment to return."
Team Iraq wasted little time in living up to that belief. Just 10 minutes in, Ali Al-Hamadi rose high to meet a corner kick and headed home the opener. In teahouses across the city, fans leapt to their feet -- clapping, shouting and embracing -- as joy erupted in waves.
But Bolivia struck back before halftime. In the 38th minute, Moises Paniagua capped a flowing attacking move with a precise finish, leveling the score and briefly silencing Iraqi celebrations.
After the break, both sides pushed relentlessly. In the 53rd minute, Aymen Hussein latched onto a cross from the right flank and calmly slotted the ball into the net, restoring Iraq's lead and igniting another surge of emotion across the country.
The television commentator repeatedly shouted the scorer's name, while inside the teahouses, fans pounded tables, raised their arms in triumph, and downed cups of tea in exhilaration.
As stoppage-time stretched to nine tense minutes, the entire nation seemed to hold its breath. Outside, the Tigris flowed quietly, as Iraqis along its banks waited in stillness for the victorious moment.
When the final whistle blew, a moment of stunned silence gave way to an explosion of joy. Fans poured into the streets, waving flags, singing, and honking car horns in a jubilant chorus of victory.
"Forty years, we are finally back," said a middle-aged man, his voice trembling with excitement. He had witnessed Iraq's first World Cup appearance as a boy; now, with graying hair, he had lived to see its return. "This is more than a win," he said, "It is proof."
The long-awaited triumph unfolded in a weary Iraq, still reeling from years of war and overshadowed by the latest Middle East crisis. Since Feb. 28, as the United States and Israel launched military strikes against Iran, triggering widespread regional conflict, Iraq has closed its airspace, creating significant challenges for the national team's preparations.
Head coach Graham Arnold described the win as "extraordinary." "I am so happy that we've made 46 million people happy, especially with what's going on in the Middle East at the moment," he said.
For decades, war and conflict have left deep scars on Iraqi society, bombings, attacks, and personal losses etched into the country's collective memory. "Today, football allowed us to set aside the weight of the past, even if just for a moment," said Mirza, a fan carrying a photo of his younger brother, a former footballer killed in a bombing attack in 2016.
Another fan, Jawad, said it was the first time he had felt the entire nation united in shared joy and pride.
"Years of conflict and external interference have divided us," he said. "But today, we came together -- cheering, celebrating, standing closely with each other. That is the meaning of football. It reminds us that life is not only about suffering and division."
