Norway dramatically began its course in the final phase of the 2026 World Cup, winning 4-1 Iraq. ..

Erling Haaland in the first match in a World Cup scored two goals, but in the match finale the lights fell upon the scorer of Iraq's only goal, Eimen Hussein.

Al Karma's 30-year-old quarterback, temporarily tied to 1-1 , scattering joy to his fellow countrymen who saw their team return to a World Cup final phase after 40 years (1986) and scoring her second goal in the event.

However, the lights fell not only for the goal he scored, but for his incredible journey from his childhood to the present day, which initially no one could believe would reach him here.

Hussein grew up in an Iraq where football offered moments of unity amid unrest. The national team's triumph at the 2007 Asian Cup, against all predictions, sparked celebrations throughout the country. Iraqi players were then semi-professionals, forced to prepare for the tournament in Jordan due to a security crisis in their home country, which cost life to tens of thousands of people every year. In fact, their shocking victory in the semi-final over South Korea was marred by a suicide attack with a bomb against raging fans in Baghdad, costing life to dozens of people.

The young man then Hussein also experienced the personal tragedy. He was 12 years old, in 2008, when his father, a soldier in the Iraqi army, fell dead from Al-Qaeda fire, while he had gone out to buy materials for the construction of their home.

The tragedy struck their door again a few years later, when his older brother was kidnapped during a period of unrest and has since given no signs of life.

"I decided to stop playing football to take care of my family, but my mother refused," he had admitted in an earlier interview.

And as much as he left behind any difficulties Hussein's preparation for the World Cup was disturbed when he was detained and interrogated for about seven hours at Chicago's O'Hare Airport on his arrival in the United States earlier this month.

Eventually he was allowed in — unlike the photographer of the Iraq national team, Talal Salah. So when Hussein got up in the air and beat Norwegian goalkeeper Erian Niland on the head, it was a moment of immense pride.

Hussein keeps his contact with the nets alive

Hussein's effect on the fight with Norway was not surprising for those who have closely followed his course. Since 2023, it has been a reference point for the "Lions of Mesopotamia" with its sovereignty in the air and its outstanding endings within the region.

He was Iraq's top player during the historic World Cup qualifying campaign, scoring 12 goals — more than twice as much as any of his teammates — as they reached the tournament through the intercontinental barrages.

It was Hussein who stated present when the ball "burned" in the qualifiers, achieving the winning goal in the 2-1 win over Bolivia in Guadeloupe last March, sealing the ticket to the World Cup. However, there were doubts about his form ahead of the World Cup, after a season where he had difficulty finding racing minutes in his association, Al-Karma.

He responded to his critics with an appearance full of self-denial against one of the most exciting teams in the tournament, grabbing his chance through adversity.