Exclusive: Hussein Ali on Iraq's World Cup return, marking Mbappe and his Swedish upbringing

Iraq are back at the World Cup after 40 years. What does that mean to you personally, to your family and to the Iraqi people?

"It is a tremendous honour. It has been four decades since we last qualified, so being part of the group that brings Iraq back to the World Cup is a huge privilege. My family feels proud, my close friends are proud, and everyone is excited about this journey we are on. We hope to achieve good results at the tournament."

Growing up, did you ever imagine you would be part of the generation that takes Iraq back?

"As a youngster, every player dreams of competing at the World Cup. It is the ultimate stage in football, so of course I had that ambition. You never know because football changes quickly, so I would not say I was certain I would play in one. But I always held the dream that someday I would."

What is the atmosphere like around the national team now? More pressure, pride, excitement, or all of it?

"It is a blend of everything. You want to deliver, but you are also very excited about what lies ahead. Honestly, in our group, we have nothing to lose. It is the opponents who carry more pressure. So we are just eager to play good football and hopefully demonstrate to the world that we are prepared to compete in the coming years."

You represented Sweden at youth level before choosing the senior Iraqi team. How important was your Swedish football education?

"It played a huge role in my development. I stayed in Sweden until I was 19 or 20. I was at Malmo, then Orebro, and after that I moved to Holland and then Poland. Sweden is a significant part of who I am as a footballer, and I am thankful and grateful for the opportunities they provided me."

Was it a difficult decision to choose Iraq, or did you have any doubts?

"My first conversation happened about two and a half or three years ago with the coach who was in charge then, a Spanish coach. It was a positive discussion, and from that point I felt it was the right move for me to join the national team.

"Since then we have been developing, improving more and more. Now we have an Australian coach, Graham Arnold, and he is doing excellent work with us. We are progressing and getting better every year."

Your group is France, Norway and Senegal. When you saw that draw, what was your first reaction?

"Honestly? Excitement. Playing against big stars is a great way to test yourself, and it is valuable experience for us as a national side. Almost all of our players are very young, so it is a good opportunity to show what we can do. We also played Spain in a friendly and drew 1-1, which proves we have the quality. We just need to keep going and improve daily."

As a defender, what goes through your mind when you know you will be marking Kylian Mbappe?

"I have been asked that question many times; it is a common one. But honestly, I just concentrate on the upcoming games. We have a friendly against Venezuela, then Norway in our first World Cup match. Of course, everyone knows Mbappe is a top-class player.

"It is about being the best version of yourself, doing everything you can, and you never know what might happen. It is good experience for me to face players like him and see how the very highest level of football looks. I am very excited about it."

Is there any way to stop Mbappe one-on-one, or does it have to be done as a team?

"He is an outstanding player, but football is a team sport. You defend together and you attack together. If you do it well as a unit, it works. Of course, when you end up in one-on-one situations you try your best to stop him, but you have to do it collectively, both defensively and offensively, to make things work for the team."

Norway have Erling Haaland, who can decide a game with one touch. As a right-back, how do you prepare for a player like him?

"We have very physical, strong players. That is one of our strengths. The most important thing is to be at 100 per cent all the time, because at a World Cup it comes down to decisive milliseconds. Everything is about the margins, so you always have to be on your toes, ready for every second until the game is over.

"If I am up against someone very technical, I watch clips to see how they move, how they like to receive the ball, and where their weaknesses lie. Knowing whether someone prefers going outside or inside helps me read it during the match and do the best I can in that situation."

Do you prefer playing against a player like Mbappe or Haaland?

"Both are quality, so it does not matter to me. The thing is, Mbappe is often out wide and Erling is mostly central, so Erling will be up against the centre backs most of the time while Mbappe stays on the side. I also spoke to Benjamin Mendy before coming here and he told me they are quality players, but just to do your job, do your best, and anything is possible. It is football, 90 minutes, 11 against 11. You never know what happens."

France and Norway will be favourites against Iraq. Can that actually help you to play with freedom and surprise people?

"Of course. That is why it is good to play these big nations. We have nothing to lose and they come with the pressure. We come to play our game and show the world we are capable. We are humble about it. We know we are not the favourites, but we will go out there to do the work and try to collect points."

You played in the Netherlands with Heerenveen. What did the Eredivisie teach you as a right-back before you moved to Poland?

"There is a lot of attacking football in Holland, very one-versus-one oriented. People are technically gifted, so you face wingers who are shifty and can do things on their own. I learned to handle those one-versus-one situations and to be more attack-minded. The football there is disciplined and fast. I learned a lot, and now in Poland I am learning a lot too."

It is a different kind of football in the Ekstraklasa, is it not?

"It is different. Poland is physical and strong, the players are fast, and it is more of a team game than one-versus-one. It is good for me because you are up against strong, quick guys who run all game. The Ekstraklasa is also getting better all the time. It is a useful learning step for me."

If you had to compare the levels, where would you put the Ekstraklasa alongside Sweden and the Eredivisie?

"Honestly, the Ekstraklasa and the Eredivisie are fairly similar in quality, which is impressive. This year the league was very tight, alive until the very last game. I would say Poland and Holland are the same level, and Sweden is not as strong right now, to be honest."

Has the Ekstraklasa helped get you ready for a World Cup?

"Definitely. The last few games went well, I scored some goals, which gives me a lot of confidence. Hopefully I can carry that into the World Cup and be ready."

Your compatriot Amir Al-Ammari also plays in Poland, at Cracovia. Do you think there will be more Iraqi players in the Ekstraklasa?

"We definitely hope so. We want the country to have many players abroad and we want people to keep an eye on them. For us, we hope we can take a good first step so other Iraqis come and show themselves in the Polish league in the future. It would be nice to open that path for the other guys."

Has playing in Europe changed your style compared to Asian football?

"It is a different style in Asia. There it is almost unpredictable, you cannot really predict what will happen. You play against players who chop inside and put in a cross you have never seen in your life, world class, and it goes both ways. You never know, so you have to be on your toes.

"I think that shocks European national teams when they face us, because European football is very good but quite predictable. You can almost sense where it is going. In Asia, you never know. It happens in a click and then, boom, something occurs."

Finally, what message would you give the Iraqi kids who will be watching the World Cup?

"Just to enjoy it. And if there is a young generation coming through who want to play for Iraq, to show them we are building something for the next generations to take over, to play with pride and passion. Iraq is always very passionate.

"We want to give them good football and let people see Iraq in a different way from now on. Hopefully more guys come through who want to represent the country, and this becomes a good step for them."

Follow Iraq's first World Cup match with Flashscore.