1. Younis Mahmoud Khalaf is an Iraqi former professional footballer who played as a forward for the Iraq national team and is currently the second vice-president of the Iraq Football Association.
48 Facts About Younis Mahmoud
1. 2.
One of the country's greatest ever players, Mahmoud captained the team for ten consecutive years and became an icon of Asian football.
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Younis Mahmoud played for a number of clubs in the Iraqi Premier League, the UAE Arabian Gulf League, the Qatar Stars League and the Saudi Professional League, winning three Golden Boots in Qatar and breaking numerous records.
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Younis Mahmoud's first official international goal was an equaliser in the 89th minute of the final of the 2002 WAFF Championship, which Iraq then went on to win in extra-time.
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Three years later, Younis Mahmoud scored in the final of the 2005 West Asian Games to lead his team to another title, before becoming the national team captain a year later.
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In 2007, Younis Mahmoud achieved the best honour of his career, leading his country to win the 2007 AFC Asian Cup, their first such success, scoring the winning goal in the final and winning the Golden Boot and Most Valuable Player awards at the tournament.
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Younis Mahmoud played in all three of Iraq's 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup matches and scored in the final of the Arabian Gulf Cup in 2013, before retiring in 2016 as the most-capped player in Iraq's history and their third-highest goalscorer ever.
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Younis Mahmoud is the only player in history to score in four different AFC Asian Cup tournaments, with one goal in 2004, four in 2007, one in 2011 and two in 2015.
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Younis Mahmoud started out as a basketball player, playing as a shooting guard for the Kahrabaa Al-Dibis basketball team.
10.
The team's football coach, Muwafaq Nouraddin, persuaded him to switch to football as there was more money involved in football in Iraq, so Younis Mahmoud joined Shaabiya Al-Dibis and then began playing for Kahrabaa Al-Dibis football team in the fourth division of Iraqi football.
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Younis Mahmoud scored 6 goals in that competition and assisted the winning goal in the final.
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Younis Mahmoud scored the fastest goal in a league match, taking 30 seconds to score after the game had started.
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Younis Mahmoud assisted in the two other goals in the match.
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Younis Mahmoud transferred to Al-Gharafa in 2006 and he would stay there for the next 5 years.
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Al-Gharafa were runners-up of the Qatar Crown Prince Cup and Younis Mahmoud scored 1 goal, in the semi-final.
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Younis Mahmoud started the season by winning the 2007 Sheikh Jassim Cup and scoring 2 goals in the final, both in extra-time.
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Al-Gharafa lost the final of the Qatar Crown Prince Cup, with Younis Mahmoud scoring 2 times in the semi-final.
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Al-Gharafa were knocked out of the group stage of the 2008 AFC Champions League and Younis Mahmoud scored 1 goal in that competition.
19.
Younis Mahmoud played in the Qatar Crown Prince Cup but they lost the semi-final to Qatar SC.
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However, they won the 2009 Emir of Qatar Cup, Younis Mahmoud scoring 3 goals.
21.
Younis Mahmoud scored 21 goals which earned him the Golden Boot award again.
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Younis Mahmoud scored 4 goals in the 2009 Sheikh Jassim Cup, where Al-Gharafa were knocked out in the semi-finals, and 3 goals in the 2009 Qatari Stars Cup which Al-Gharafa won.
23.
In 2011, Younis Mahmoud signed for Al-Wakrah, who had finished in 7th place in the league the previous season.
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Younis Mahmoud earned his first honour with Al-Wakrah when they won the 2011 Qatari Stars Cup, with Younis Mahmoud scoring 1 goal in the semi-final.
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Younis Mahmoud scored what would be his 10th goal, tying him with Kamile, who participated in the tournament since its inception in 1995.
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On 16 September 2013, Younis Mahmoud signed for Saudi Professional League side Al-Ahli, signing a 4-month contract with the club.
27.
Younis Mahmoud ended his contract 2 weeks before the official end of it.
28.
In February 2015, after the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, Younis Mahmoud returned to Iraq to play for Erbil, but only in AFC Cup games, because he did not want to compete in the Iraqi Premier League against his former club Al-Talaba.
29.
Younis Mahmoud was given the captain's armband for Erbil's next AFC Cup match against FC Istiklol, but the game finished goalless and Erbil crashed out of the tournament at the group stage.
30.
On 12 September 2015, Younis Mahmoud returned to play for his former club Al-Talaba.
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Younis Mahmoud is the only Iraqi player in history to have made the Ballon d'Or shortlist, when he finished 29th in 2007.
32.
Kaka won the Ballon d'Or that year, while Younis Mahmoud earned two points, finishing ahead of 21 world-renowned players including the likes of Samuel Eto'o, David Beckham and Robin van Persie.
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Younis Mahmoud scored 6 goals for the Olympic team in the 2003 Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Friendship Cup, including a hat-trick against Al-Nassr and the only goal in the final against Morocco, as Iraq won the cup.
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Younis Mahmoud was part of Iraq's 2004 Olympic Games qualifying squad and scored goals against Oman and Kuwait as Iraq managed to qualify.
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Younis Mahmoud scored 1 goal in the 2004 Asian Cup against Saudi Arabia, and in the Olympic Games finals, Iraq finished in 4th place and Younis Mahmoud scored 1 goal, against Portugal.
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Iraq participated in the 2005 West Asian Games and Younis Mahmoud scored 3 goals in the tournament, including a goal in the final which Iraq went on to win to claim the gold medal.
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In 2006, Iraq participated in the Asian Games and reached the final but lost to Qatar; Younis Mahmoud scored 3 goals in the tournament.
38.
In 2006, Younis Mahmoud became the Iraq captain, taking over from Razzaq Farhan.
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Younis Mahmoud won the top scorer award and the MVP award in the tournament, and nominated for the 2007 Asian Footballer of the Year award and the 2007 Ballon d'Or, becoming the first Iraqi player in history to be nominated for the prestigious Ballon d'Or award.
40.
Younis Mahmoud scored in his 3rd consecutive Asian Cup tournament with a goal against Iran in the 2011 AFC Asian Cup.
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Younis Mahmoud scored 7 goals in qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup but Iraq finished bottom of their group in the final round and failed to qualify.
42.
Younis Mahmoud led Iraq to qualify for the 2015 AFC Asian Cup by scoring 4 goals in the qualifying rounds including 2 goals in the decisive match against China.
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Younis Mahmoud participated as one of Iraq's overaged players in the 2014 Asian Games and he scored 4 goals in the tournament as Iraq won the bronze medal.
44.
On 28 March 2015, Iraq played a friendly match against DR Congo and the match saw Younis Mahmoud become Iraq's most-capped player of all-time.
45.
Younis Mahmoud continued to be a key player for Iraq during their 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign and he scored 4 goals in Iraq's group including a free-kick against Chinese Taipei to send Iraq to the final round.
46.
Younis Mahmoud announced his retirement from football on 23 August 2016.
47.
In March 2004, Younis Mahmoud got into a scuffle with the Iraqi coaching staff led by German Bernd Stange, who left his position after the match.
48.
Younis Mahmoud was angry at the coach after being left on the bench until the 74th minute of the draw against Palestine at the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification.