On 22 January, the Iraqi national football team beat its archrival, Iran, in a thrilling game worthy of being called the mother of all matches. The Iraqi team beat its Iranian counterpart after a dramatic 120 minutes of play, and a nerve-wrecking penalty shootout to clinch a spot in the Asian Cup semi-final in Sydney. The result unleashed spontaneous celebrations in all parts of the country.

The win was reminiscent of the Iraq’s 2007 victory against Saudi Arabia in the Asian cup final because of the magnitude of emotions it engendered. When Iraq won the Asian title seven years ago, Iraqis understood the symbolism of their victory. It was a reminder of what a united Iraq can do. The celebrations that took place after were a testament to Iraqis’ sense of camaraderie. It felt natural for Sunnis in Anbar, Shia in Baghdad, and Kurds in Sulimaniya to run to the streets and celebrate as countrymen despite being in the middle of a civil war.

The success of the national team stands as an example of the unity Iraq desperately needs from its political leadership. What the national team did was, essentially, what Iraqi politicians failed to do over the years, which is to unite the country. Iraqis rallied behind their team not only because it was successful, but also because of what made it successful. The team won because its players were able to rise above their ethnic and sectarian differences for the sake of a greater national good. Iraq expert and historian Reidar Visser believes that the Iraqi football team is successful because it puts together the nation’s best talents regardless of their ethnic and sectarian backgrounds. He adds: