Iraq’s Ayman Hussein Reflects on Loss to Norway in World Cup 2026 Opener

Ayman Hussein, a player for the Iraq national team, expressed a mixed sense of satisfaction regarding his team’s performance during the first half of their match against Norway, despite suffering a 3-1 defeat in their opening group stage game of the 2026 World Cup.

In an interview with beIN Sports, Hussein stated, “We played well and had a strong first half, but some small details tipped the balance in favor of the Norwegian team.”.

He added, “I’m happy to have scored a goal, but the result does not reflect the level we showed, especially in the first half.”.

Hussein concluded by acknowledging the team’s need for more experience in such matches, saying, “We lack some experience in these types of games, and hopefully, we will do better next time.”.

The goals for Norway were scored by Erling Haaland (two goals), Leo Østigård, and Christian Thorstvedt, while Ayman Hussein netted Iraq’s only goal.

Hussein’s goal marks only the second time Iraq has scored in World Cup history, following Ahmed Radhi’s goal in 1982.

This match also marked Norway’s first victory in World Cup history since their win against Brazil in 1998.

Iraq is now preparing to face France in their next group match, while Norway will take on Senegal.