Zico in Iraq: war and the return to the World Cup

Iraq's return to the World Cup after a forty-year absence is not just sporting news, but the recovery of a story of resilience that has a curious and Brazilian chapter: Zico's time in charge of the national team between 2011 and 2012. As the world prepares to see the Iraqis face Norway in the opening of the group, it is inevitable to look back and remember the period in which the "Rooster" accepted what he himself classified as the most difficult challenge of his career. The last Iraqi participation in a World Cup took place in 1986, and since then the country has experienced devastating conflicts that directly affected .