Iraq Olympic Coach Cites Age Eligibility for Excluding Al-Nassr’s Abdulkerim

Iraq Olympic national team head coach Emad Mohammed has confirmed that Al-Nassr midfielder Hayder Abdulkerim was excluded from the squad due to age eligibility requirements rather than technical performance. The player, born in 2004, does not meet the criteria for the upcoming Asian Cup, which is restricted to athletes born in 2005 or later. The coaching staff is currently prioritizing the development of a younger roster as part of a strategic preparation phase for the upcoming Olympic qualifiers. Consequently, several players who previously served on the national team but now exceed the age limit have been removed from the selection pool. To facilitate team cohesion and tactical preparation, the Iraqi squad will conduct a training camp in Turkey. During this period, the team is scheduled to play two friendly matches against Russia to refine their performance ahead of international competition.