Ali al-Hamadi was barely a year old when his family fled Iraq. Now 24, the striker is preparing to help keep his country alive at a World Cup they waited four decades to reach.
Iraq faces Senegal on Friday in their final Group I match, and al-Hamadi will be central to whatever happens next.
From Maysan to Toxteth to the world stage
Born on March 1, 2002, in Maysan, a province in southeastern Iraq, al-Hamadi’s life changed before he could form memories of his birthplace. His family escaped to England in 2003, during the early stages of the Iraq War, settling in Toxteth, a district in Liverpool.
His football journey started modestly. He came through the ranks at Tranmere Rovers before moving to Ipswich Town, with a loan spell at Luton Town during the 2025-26 season filling out his development.
