Iraqis are one of the countries that love football, the people of Iraq are really enthusiastic about it and practice it on daily basis.
During the economic siege that expanded from the 1990 to 2003 in Iraq, a lot of football players has gone into the dark. Because of the very crucial economic status of the people of Iraq, players decided to focus on work instead of playing their favorite game.
If a player was in the right path, but got injured, there was no way for him to get the right medical treatment for his injury as an athlete. The player shall be treated as a regular person not like an athlete! A lot of examples and players went unknown because of these circumstances.
On of those examples is Haider Talib, a well known player in Hurryah specially and in Baghdad in general. Haider Talib was born in 1978 for an athlete family that loved football. He started playing football from a young age with his peers in the streets of Hurryah. Growing up thinking about football, playing and practicing it, Haider gained a massive knowledge about this game. His name started to star in his city and he became well known to the football community.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Growing up to be a teenager, Haider played for the official team of Hurryah as he was the captain for that team. His name was known to all the people as his teammates. He was the goal scorer and the attack player of Hurryah team. As a country that loves football, the Iraqi clubs used to send scouts to sign new players from the hoods to play for them, scouts from Talabah club ( a well known club in Iraq ) were attracted by Haider’s way of playing and decided to sign a contract with him.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Furthermore, another club from Turkey decided to sign with him as well after he scored and played magnificently against Alzawra club. He was at the very top among the players of Hurryah. People knew Haider and loved the way he played.
All of these contracts and signings were gone suddenly due to his injury, Haider injured his left knee and was sent to the hospital to get treated. Of course due to the economic siege, he couldn’t get the right treatment for an athlete, so his career came to an end as doctors advised him not to play again or he is going to loose his knee. The whole community was shook by this news. He was one of their favorite players but yet, they have to say good by to him in the field. Haider was only 22 years old when he decided to stop. Haider is still practicing and coaching football to younger players.
This was the story of one of the best players in Hurryah city specially and in Baghdad in general. This is how hard it was for players back in the days. Players went unknown, gone to the dark. Do you know someone like Haider?