From personal tragedy to World Cup goal: Aymen Hussein's remarkable journey

Aymen Hussein, the Iraqi striker who has overcome personal tragedy and numerous obstacles in his career, scored a goal against Norway on Sunday to secure a 1-1 draw — Iraq's first World Cup goal since 1986.

Hussein grew up in Iraq, where football often provided moments of unity amid turmoil. He recalls the 2007 Asian Cup victory, when Iraq's semi-professional team triumphed against all odds. The semi-final win over South Korea was marred by a suicide bomb attack on celebrating fans in Baghdad that killed dozens.

Personal tragedy struck early. In 2008, when Hussein was 12, his father — a soldier in the Iraqi army — was shot dead by al-Qaeda while buying materials for their home. Years later, his older brother was kidnapped during unrest and has not been seen since. Hussein considered quitting football to support his family, but his mother refused and urged him to pursue his dream.

That dream has led him to the World Cup. Hussein was Iraq's top scorer in qualification with 12 goals — more than double any teammate. He scored the winner against Bolivia in March to seal Iraq's place in the tournament.

The road was not smooth. Earlier this month, Hussein was detained at Chicago O'Hare airport for seven hours before being allowed entry (unlike team photographer Talal Salah). He also struggled for minutes at his club Al-Karma, raising questions about his form. But he answered his doubters with a resilient display against Norway, overcoming injuries during the season.

"He has had quite a few injuries during the season and for him to get through 90 minutes with that energy and scoring a goal was fantastic," said coach Arnold. If Hussein can maintain that level, Iraq may yet progress from a challenging Group I that also includes 2022 runners-up France and Senegal.