Iraqi football players have stated that mental state and psychological pressure will be the key factors in the matches between the UAE and Iraq in the playoff round for a spot in the 2026 World Cup. The matches will be held tomorrow in the UAE and on the 18th in Basra. The players told "Al Ittihad" that technical preparation and fan support alone will not be enough to secure the result, predicting that caution will prevail in the atmosphere of both matches, as they represent the last chance to remain in the competition for a qualifying ticket.Role of the FansFormer player for UAE's Al-Nasr and the Iraqi national team, Mohammed Mustafa, said, "The fans will play a major role in supporting both teams and motivating the players to achieve a positive result." Mustafa, who currently plays for Al-Karkh, added, "Despite the teams being equal in technical capabilities and ambition, the Iraqi national team is considered the stronger one." He predicts that Iraq's qualification will be decided in the second leg in Basra, expecting the first match to end in a draw.Psychological PressureFormer Iraqi football star Karim Mohammed Alawi said, "The last chance for both teams will create significant psychological pressure on the players. Whoever succeeds in dealing with this pressure and delivers a better technical performance will continue their way to the World Cup." He added, "I expect the coaches' instructions to focus on playing cautiously, and the outcome will be postponed to the second match in Basra, unless a significant result is achieved in the first match." Alawi continued, "Risk-taking in playing style will not be present in the first match as long as there is a second one. I believe both teams deserved to advance early due to the technical elements and distinguished experience they possess, but their presence in this playoff does not reflect their true value. We will congratulate the winning team and wish them to continue their journey to the World Cup."Recall that Karim Alawi is considered one of the key players who helped Iraq qualify for the 1986 World Cup.Key to VictoryFormer Iraqi national team defender Hassan Ali said, "I believe that the super player will be the key to victory for either team. He is the one capable of creating or scoring goals. Both teams have a group of distinguished players, but the mental aspect will greatly influence the result of the first match." He added, "I see that the UAE national team has a relative advantage, considering it has a good number of influential players. If we rely on the performance of both teams in their last two matches, the UAE appears closer to continuing the competition."Recall that Hassan Ali played alongside the current head of the Iraqi Football Association, Adnan Darjal, for the Iraqi national team in the 1980s.
