Adnan Dirjal

Dirjal started his career with Al-Zawraa, where he won the Iraqi league and cup double in 1978/1979. He went on to join Al-Talaba, where he was one of the stars of a team that included Haris Mohammed, Jamal Ali and the great Hussein Saeed. At Al-Talaba Adnan won the Iraqi league two times and reached two cup finals. His most successful club spell came at Al-Rasheed, the club owned by Saddam Hussein's eldest son Uday, where he captained the club and won three Iraqi league titles, two cups and a record three Arab Club Championships during the mid to late 1980s.

Dirjal made the step into international football early, helping Iraq win both the CISM World Military Championship and the Gulf Cup in 1979. He later played at three Olympic Games, in 1980, 1984 and 1988, three Gulf Cup victories, and the Asian Games win over Kuwait in 1982. The biggest disappointment in a glittering career was missing the World Cup finals in Mexico in 1986 through injury.

Dirjal secured a position in Iraqi PM Mustafa Al-Kadhimi's cabinet in May 2020 when he was appointed Minister of Youth and Sports.

On 14 September 2021, Dirjal became the president of Iraq Football Association. He was later succeeded by his deputy Younis Mahmoud on 23 May 2026.