Humam Tariq

Early career

Tariq started playing football at a very young age and often participated in local matches and could regularly be seen playing as a child in public. This eventually caught the attention of Baghdad's biggest clubs. He decided he wanted to pursue a career in football, and from an early age he used to play with older kids at the local shaabiya football pitches near where he grew up before he joined the youth teams in the academy of Iraqi giants Al-Zawraa. He stayed with Al Zawraa for a few months but later decided that he wanted to play for his boyhood club Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, who he joined in 2007 at the age of 11.

Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya

2009–10

At a young age, Tariq started his football career, by joining Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya's academy, where he kept getting promoted until, in 2010, he joined the senior team at the age of just 14. He started playing for the senior team, in the 2009–10 Iraqi Premier League. He made his debut with Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, on 26 May 2010, in a match against Salahaddin FC, where the match ended in a 2–0 win for Al-Jawiya.

2010–11

He appeared every two or three matches as substitute. Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya finished in 2nd place in the groups stage, being qualified to the third place match, where they lost against Al-Sinaa SC 0–1.

2011–12

Tariq scored his first goal in his third season with Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, on 27 April 2012, in a match against Zakho FC, three minutes after the beginning of the match,…

On 30 December 2012, Tariq made his international debut for the Iraqi senior team, against Tunisia, in a friendly match that ended in a 2–1 loss for Iraq. Tariq, on that day, became the youngest player in the history of the Iraq national football team to wear the Iraqi shirt at the age of 16.

2013 Gulf Cup

The 2013 Gulf Cup was the tournament that led Tariq to success and made him shine. He started the first match of Iraq, as a left winger, against Saudi Arabia, that ended in a 2–0 win for Iraq. Tariq went on to start the second match of Iraq, against Kuwait, that ended in a 1–0 win for Iraq. In Iraq's third match, against Yemen, Tariq stayed on the bench, being replaced with Nabeel Sabah as the left winger. The match ended in a 2–0 win for Iraq. Tariq started the semi-final match against Bahrain. The match went to extra time and then penalties, after a 1–1 draw. Iraq won 4–2 on penalties. In the final, Tariq started as a left midfielder, against UAE, in the match that ended in a 2–1 loss for Iraq. Therefore, Iraq became the runners-up of the 2013 edition.

2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification

Tariq contributed in 4 matches out of the total 6 for Iraq in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup qualification. The matches' results were a 1–0 win against Indonesia on 6 February 2013, 0–1 loss against China on 22 March, 1–2 loss against Saudi Arabia on 15 November, and a 2–0 win against Indonesia on 19 November. Eventually, Iraq qualified to the 2015 AFC Asian Cup by winning 3–1…

Tariq uses speed and size to create space from defenders around the wings and center positions. As a player who plays predominantly as an attacking midfielder, he depends on his crossing skills, finishing and distributing abilities. With his pace and technical skills, the media and analysts alike have compared his style to that of Raheem Sterling and Lionel Messi, which has made Tariq earn the nickname of “Iraqi Messi". Tariq has been deployed as a winger and in more central attacking roles. He is known for his crossing, passing and pace.

Humam Tariq was born to the Naoush family from the Adhamiyah district in Baghdad. He is the grandson of Faraj Naoush, the creator of Confectionery of Faraj Naoush and His Sons, which was created in 1954. It was one of the best confectionery shops in Iraq, especially, during the Sanctions against Iraq in the 1990s. Humam helped out in the family business in his spare time making the sweets. Humam is married. His son Tariq was born in July 2017.