Ali Adnan Kadhim

Early years

Adnan was graduated from the prestigious Ammo Baba Football School situated opposite the Al-Shaab Stadium, where he spent the early part of his football education. In his five years at the school, and despite being one of the youngest kids at the time, he excelled and progressed from the Baraem ("Buds") and Ashbal ("Cubs") teams. The player sees his time at the school as an important foundation of his career and a key part of his development. He moved from the school, to one of Iraq's top clubs Al-Zawraa – joining one of the best youth set-ups in the country, and also his uncle’s former club, playing at Nasha’een (Under 17) level and then the youth team. After spending a season in the youth team at city rivals Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, he transferred to big spenders Baghdad FC.

Baghdad FC

There he first played for the Baghdad FC's youth side and was invited to the senior team by head coach Yahya Alwan, at a relatively young age but because of the depth in the squad, he returned to the youth set-up. It was only after Karim Kurdi was appointed head coach of the club in 2010, that Adnan became a regular with the seniors. The coach was able to give the attacking left sided player the confidence in his own abilities and Adnan went from strength to strength, dislodging his idol and teammate, the Iraqi international Bassim Abbas on the left flank, first at club level and then with Iraq. He scored seven goals for Baghdad FC in total. Two were in the 2010–11…

Iraq U-20

Adnan's breathtaking and scintillating performances were the highlight of the Iraq U-20's fairytale run to the semi-finals at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey. His goal against England U-20, that brought Iraq level at 2–2, epitomized his never-ending dynamism and drive. In the 93rd minute of the game, he cut inside from the by-line, bamboozling the opposition with his trickery, before darting past the English defense and blasting the ball past the keeper. His eagerness to get down the flank with his marauding runs; the ability to strike the ball from anywhere outside the penalty box with such ferocity and accuracy, and his all-round physical superiority over his competitors had caught the attention of observers at the tournament, and there were rumors that scouts from clubs from top European leagues had been watching the 19 year-old. He also managed to score the opening goal in the semi-finals against Uruguay U-20 from a narrow angle free-kick in a match ended 1–1 after extra time which saw Uruguay advance to the final by penalty shoot-out. During the tournament, several clubs had shown interest. Adnan has been linked with Spanish Club Sevilla, English club Arsenal, Turkish clubs Galatasaray, Bursaspor and Çaykur Rizespor, Italian clubs Genoa and Livorno. Also the Qatari club Al-Gharrafa showed interest in him. Adnan eventually signed for Caykur Rizespor.

Iraq U-23

Adnan was chosen as part of the olympic team squad that represented Iraq in…

Adnan is a tall but fast player, which blends well to Iraq’s counter-attack philosophy. He is an attack-minded left-back with a strong physique and a powerful long-range shot. He often advances quickly from the back into the opponent's half, using skilled footwork to pass defenders and midfielders. His energy, athleticism, and strength make him a challenging opponent, and he frequently contributes to the attack with skillful plays and long-range shots. Adnan is known for his effective runs down the left wing and important goals. Despite his attacking abilities, he also performs well defensively and is capable of making accurate long passes and crosses into the penalty area.

Adnan was born in the Iraqi capital Baghdad in the Adhamiyah vicinity on 19 December 1993. Football runs through his family bloodline, with both his father and uncle having played at the top level during the 1970s and 80s. His father Adnan Kadhim played for the Iraqi youth team in 1977, and won the 1977 AFC Youth Championship in Iran, and was a part of the squad of the first Iraqi youth side to play at the 1977 FIFA World Youth Championship in Tunisia, that same year. However, even though he played for first division clubs Al-Shabab, Al-Tijara and Al-Rasheed, he never made the ascent from club football to senior international football. His uncle Ali Kadhim is considered one of the best strikers in the history of the national team, and scored 35 goals for the national team, from 1970 to 1980. This was the national record until Hussein Saeed broke it in 1982. Adnan Kadhim regards his father as his idol and teacher in both life and sport. Throughout his career, his father has been by his side and was often seen at the Baghdad stadium watching his son from the sidelines. When Adnan came out with his shock retirement from international football in 2016, his father called him on-air and spoke to him about reversing his decision and Adnan eventually returned to the national team.