Fahad Talib #1

Profile

When Talib suffered a serious knee injury on the eve of Iraq's crucial 2024 Asian Cup Last-16 tie against Jordan, not many believed he, then 29, would return to the same level that had seen him go to the 2013 Under20 World Youth Cup in Turkey and the 2016 Olympics in Rio. Talib had made his name in Iraq's last World Cup qualifying campaign, replacing the injured Jalal Hassan, where he appeared in eight of Iraq's 10 qualifying games for the 2022 World Cup and earned rave reviews. Following the injury and, after almost a year out on the sidelines, the goalkeeper returned to form with Iraq Stars League club Al-Talaba and earned a recall to the national side, where he has made 20 appearances since making his debut in 2017. A goalkeeper like his father and elder brother, Fahad came through the Ammo Baba football school and later joined Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya in 2008, breaking into the first team at just 16 and becoming a regular a few years later.

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