Mahdi Kamel

The midfielder comes from a sporting background with his elder brother having been played at Al-Jaish while his three cousins Mohanad, Adnan and Ahmed Nassir were also footballers, Mohanad Nassir going onto play for Iraq's youth team and once played against Brazil. In 2007, Ahmed Nassir then of Al-Sinaa was hurt in a twin suicide bombing that took the lives of 80 Iraqis at the Al-Shourjah market in the city of Baghdad and his playing career was ended after his leg amputated from the hip down. His cousin Mohanad Nassir played against Brazil at the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina. Mahdi began kicking a ball around his local shaabiya field for his local team Anwar Baghdad in Qataa (sector) 5 in Al-Sadr City, people would often tell him that he should try out for a club. The youngster who brushed away their calls but after one local game that changed when a team-mate of his decided to take it upon himself to take him to Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya for try-outs. His team-mate took him to the Air Force Club and Mahdi was picked after trials and won a title with the Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya Ishbal (“Cubs”) under Bashar Latif and Sami Shabib and progressed to the Under 17s under the supervision of Mohammed Nassir. At 1.64 m (5ft 4 1⁄2 inches), Mahdi always had his doubters even when he was called to the Under 17s, however the player the Al-Shorta fans call "Zola" after the tiny ex-Italy and Chelsea FC playmaker Gianfranco Zola, showed that he was more than capable of imposing himself…

On 14 August 2013 Mahdi made his first international cap with Iraq against Chile in a friendly match.