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Iraq’s Nineveh amputee football team is determined to overcome their challenges and make it onto the international stage to represent their country.
Established in 2021, the team has been a beacon of hope for amputees, whose numbers are considerable in Mosul, a city freed from the grip of Islamic State group militants in 2017. The Nineveh amputee team is considered one of the strongest in Iraq and has already defeated several able-bodied teams in local competitions.
Jassem Mohammed, a player on the team, reflects on the sport's impact, saying that it offers a fresh opportunity in the city. "It provides a moral motivation for all players with disabilities," Mohammed added. He said the team’s ambition is "to participate in international championships and to raise the name of Iraq while representing the national team."
Talat Hussein, another player on the team, aspires to join a professional club, such as those in Turkey, Poland or Germany, he said. Many of the players on the Nineveh team also play for the country’s national amputee football team, which took part in both Iran’s championship and the Amputee Football World Cup, held in Turkey in 2022.
The Nineveh team competes in the Iraqi league for amputee teams, organized by the Iraqi Paralympic Committee. The players train rigorously despite facing challenges such as limited funding. They receive partial support from the Iraqi Paralympic Committee, allowing them to pursue their dreams. AP video shot by Farid Abdulwahed
