Iraqi national team goalkeeper Jalal Hassan appeared satisfied with the team's performance in their match against Norway, which ended with the European representative winning 4-1 in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup.
Hassan told beIN Sports after the match: “It was a tough game against a star-studded team that is one of the best in the tournament and has the best striker in the world.”
The goalkeeper of the Lions of Mesopotamia added: “We did not fall short, but rather we presented a distinguished performance in the first half, and we did not appear at the required level in the second half, and we did not expect to lose by this result, and now we must focus on the next two matches, and we hope to appear in a manner befitting the Iraqi national team.”
He continued: “The World Cup is a global event, and we have been absent from participating in it for 40 years. The start is strong with strong and difficult teams. Our group is the most difficult in the tournament, and it includes France and Norway, who are candidates to win the World Cup.”
He also pointed to the difficulties his team faced in returning to the World Cup after an absence of nearly four decades: “We qualified for the World Cup after a very difficult journey, during which we played 21 matches, and faced difficult circumstances including problems, a change of coach, and fatigue from frequent travel.”
He concluded his remarks by saying: “Therefore, participating in the World Cup is an opportunity for this generation, and we apologize to our fans, and we need three points to qualify for the second round.”
It is worth noting that the Iraqi national team will face a tough test against France, and then the team will conclude its journey in the group stage against Senegal, on June 23 and 26 respectively.
