‘It was madness in Baghdad’: René Meulensteen on coaching Iraq and helping Ronaldo

The Guardian Football↗

I raq’s journey to their first World Cup in 40 years involved sacrifices unmatched by any other side. After 20 qualifiers, the team faced a decisive playoff in the Mexican city of Monterrey but, with Iraq dragged into the Middle East war and airspace closed , several staff and players had an arduous