12 Facts About Youra Eshaya

Youra Eshaya Pera is a former Assyrian and Iraqi football player who was the first Iraqi player ever to play in England.

Youra Eshaya was born in 1933 in Iraq to Eshaya Pera and Batishwa Benyamin.

Youra Eshaya's family moved to Baghdad to live at the Royal Air Force Station Hinaidi in 1935, where Youra's father worked for the Royal Air Force.

At the age of 15, Youra started to play Levy Civilian in the RAF Football League in Habbaniya.

Youra Eshaya finally worked as a miner in order to stay in England while playing as an amateur for Bristol Rovers 3rd team in the Western League.

Youra Eshaya was granted employment by the National Coal Board and he started working as a miner at Pensford Colliery, Somerset, on November 7,1954.

Youra Eshaya played only four games in his second season before the president of the Royal Iraqi Air Force FC, Brigadier Kadhim Abbadi, invited him back to Iraq.

Youra Eshaya was offered an Iraqi citizenship and a place for him on the Force as a warrant officer provided he play for his club and returned to Baghdad in December 1955.

Youra Eshaya was forced to retire in 1971 after he married a Swedish woman because the Baathist Government prohibited military personnel from marrying women from non-Arab countries.

Youra Eshaya was later transferred to Habbaniya air base where he coached and trained military sportsmen.

Youra Eshaya moved to Sweden where he worked as a youth soccer coach.

Youra Eshaya died on July 21,1992, at the age of 59.