Emad Mohammed Ridha, born on July 24, 1982 in the city of Karbala, didn’t wait long before he started taking the footballing world by storm. At the early age of sixteen, he was already showing off his talents in the top division of Iraqi football. Emad was earning accolades for his devastating striking skills, and explosive speed that had Iraqi football counting down for the launch of yet another superstar. The shakomakoNET team recently caught up with “Al Umda” to get a better look at what many consider to be one of the few players that can cause revolutionary change within Iraqi football and return us to the pole position. Find out about these topics and more, and only here on shakomakonet.

shakomakonet: Why football?
Emad: I began playing in my neighborhood in Karbala when I used to get home from school, even though the majority of the school day involved playing football. I used to be a supporter of Al Quwa Al Jawiya. I even remember that if Al Quwa ever lost to Al Zawraa, I couldn’t go to school the next day because I didn’t want to be teased by the other kids, most of whom were Al Zawraa fans. This was also true for the other kids; if Al Zawraa lost, they would be no shows in class the next day. So football was a big part of my life for as long as I can remember.

shakomakonet: How did this love for the game turn into a career?
Emad: It seemed to be a seamless and very natural transition. I wanted to play more football so I played for the schoolboys side of FC Karbala. I was then chosen to move up into their youth squad, where I enjoyed a successful start. It was only a short while after that, that big clubs from Baghdad came to inquire about me. All the interest saw me move to the Al Zawraa youth team. I found that to be ironic, because of my loyalty to their arch rivals: Al Quwa Al Jawiya. I quickly moved into their first team, and I remember eventually scoring twice in a match against Al Quwa. My love for Al Zawraa, and the love I got from their fans, ended my past relationship with Al Quwa. I don’t think of them anymore.

shakomakonet: How did it feel to play for a giant club like Al Zawraa, when it was only a very short time ago, that you were playing as a child in the streets of Karbala?
Emad: As a child, and probably like every other Iraqi child, my favorite player was Ahmed Radhi. To play with him in Al Zawraa was an unexplainable experience. I have learned a lot from him, and I still benefit from what he has taught me to this day. I remember my first game with Al Zawraa was against Al Shurta, at Al Shaab Stadium. I will never forget that day. Playing with Al Zawraa was very successful for me in general. I was able to win three league titles and the cup by the same amount. I scored 15 goals during one of those cup seasons, which made me the top scorer in that competition.

shakomakonet: Do you remember your first ever goal with Al Zawraa?
Emad: My first goal came against Al Nafut (Oil). I scored twice that day, and I think I remember all my goals.

shakomakonet: When did you start playing for the national sides?
Emad: I was selected for the Iraqi U-17 side to play at the Asian Championships in Doha in 1997, but I was injured. I was with Al Zawraa at the time. Soon after, however, I began training with the Iraqi youth squad. I remember the training was very rigorous under the leadership of Adnan Hamad. We used to train three times a day. I played with them for a year, before moving on to the national squad. My first game with the nationals was against Uzbekistan, I was a substitute that day.

shakomakonet: During your one year with the youth team, you became Asian Champions and qualified to the Youth World Cup in Argentina in a tournament that was filled with thrills and excitement. Tell us about that experience.
Emad: Prior to the tournament in Iran, we were all eager to repeat what players like Hussain Saeed did in 1977, by winning the same tournament in Iran. We had no motives and incentives offered to us by the FA, so we were driven by our determination and hard work. By reaching the semi-finals of the tournament, we had guaranteed a spot in the World Cup finals. That a was a great achievement on its own, and I remember us dancing in the dressing room before our match against Iran in the semis.

shakomakonet: How was the game with Iran, a game that ended in a penalty kick shootout?
Emad: That was a very tough game. We expected to have many obstacles ahead of us in everything including the refereeing, and our treatment at the hotel before getting to the stadium, the food at the hotel, everything. We were prepared for anything. Iran wasted many chances that day, and maybe they deserved to win. But we played well, and luck was on our side. Ahmed Ali was a real hero that day. (He stopped three penalty shots, and eventually scored the goal that took Iraq through to the finals.) After beating Iran, we had our eyes set on the championship.

shakomakonet: The final game was against Japan, and it proved to be a golden day for you, didn’t it?
Emad: We wasted many chances during the first half of that match, and it was against a very difficult team. I was fortunate to score the Golden Goal that day. Nashat Akram played a long ball to the Japanese goalie, the goalie intercepted it with his head at the edge of the penalty box, and the ball came to me. I easily chipped it over him for the win. It was my left foot too. On our return to Iraq, fifteen thousand supporters at the Iraqi-Iranian border waited to greet us that day. That was unbelievable. We have the best fans in the world.

shakomakonet: How did that win help launch you into stardom?
Emad: I was top scorer at that tournament. I made the Asian dream team that year, as well as being selected as the second best player in Iraq. It was a great personal achievement for myself. But more importantly, we went to Argentina the following year to compete in the World Championships. We didn’t think we would make it to the second round, because we had Germany and Brazil in the same group as us. I must admit, however, that after beating Canada in our opening match, some of us thought we were going all the way. But our worst fears of Brazil came true in our following match.

shakomakonet: Despite our heavy loss to the Brazilians, you scored Iraq’s only goal, how did it feel to score against a team like Brazil, and in the World Youth Championships?
Emad: It was a dream of mine to score against the Brazilians. I worked hard for that goal, and I became the first Iraqi player to score against them.

shakomakonet: By the end of that year, you had proved to the world that you were a serious threat to any opposition from everywhere, and all of that was at such a young age, was there anyone behind all this energy?
Emad: I thank Allah for blessing me, and I am a hard worker as well. But I owe a lot to Adnan Hamad, my coach from my beginning at Al Zawraa. And, in fact, Iraq owes him a lot as well. He eventually became the main driving force behind my success at the national senior level as well. Adnan, unlike many coaches, is the kind of coach that doesn’t like superstars on his squad. He is a great teacher, and has been the most important key to my success.

shakomakonet: What happened during the 2002 World Cup Qualifications, where we failed once again?
Emad: We rotated more than fifty players during those games. It was myself, and perhaps one or two other players that remained for the entire tournament. So many changes made it difficult for the players to understand each other. I was personally fortunate, however, as I ended up being the top Iraqi scorer that year. I missed out on the top scorer of Asia by one goal: I had five and Ali Daei of Iran had one more.

shakomakonet: Many things have changed since those qualifications, how does the new Iraqi national team look like to you?
Emad: We are going through a difficult time right now. I think we are better than all the other Arab teams from Asia, but I think it would be better for us to incorporate younger elements into the national side. We also need more training camps and practice matches against strong opponents.

shakomakonet: Is Bernd Stange doing a good job coaching the team?
Emad: Stange doesn’t serve the national side well. I don’t want to play for him. You can’t have the majority of players be over thirty when there are so many good young players in the system. A player at an old age can offer very little to the team at this point in time. Every player gets their time, and then that’s it for them. He hasn’t been successful, and isn’t successful, and if he stays, and if many of the players aren’t changed, then I won’t play. I think younger players like Younis (Mahmood), Ahmed Mnajid, Ahmed Salah, and even Razzaq Farhan should be there instead of some the strikers that are there now.

shakomakonet: Does this mean that we aren’t going anywhere in the Asian Cup this summer?
Emad: I’ll play. But the reason I said I didn’t was because I want changes that are good for the team. All of the Olympic side should play on the national team, with Razzaq Farhan, Haider Mahmood, and Abdul Wahab Abu Al Heil there as well.

shakomakonet: What about our chances of making it to the big tournament in Germany in two years time?
Emad: With the right changes, we can qualify. Even though we are not a seeded team, that has no effect on the players, all that matters is that we qualify.

shakomakonet: Okay, so let’s say you were the coach of the national team, who would be your starting eleven?
Emad: I would play a 3-4-3 formation. In goaltending, it would be tough to choose between Noor Sabri and Ahmed Ali. Starting from the left, my defenders would be Bassim Abbas, Saad Attiya, and Haider Abdul Razzaq. In the midfield, I would have Hawar Mulla on the left side, and Hassaan Turki and Qusay Hashim in the middle, with Haider Mahmood playing on the right wing. And up front, I would have Razzaq Farhan, Nashat Akram, and Younis Mahmood.

shakomakonet: There are six potential strikers for the national squad, and that doesn’t include yourself which would make it seven, does that create some sort of sensitivity between all these players?
Emad: There isn’t sensitivity between our forwards. A player must be confident of his skills and wish the best for other players. I wish the best for others before I wish it for myself. We are lucky to have so many excellent strikers. At the end of the day, a player that doesn’t train hard doesn’t deserve to be a star. But, cooperation is the key to success at all times.

shakomakonet: Are there any players that you would prefer to be striking partners with?
Emad: I play best with Younis, Razzaq, and Ahmed Salah. I’m lucky in that all these players, and others, like playing with me as well.

shakomakonet: After returning for an injury that kept you sidelined for almost a year, you returned to your scoring antics by putting one away against the North Koreans in Olympic qualifying, what are our chances of qualifying for Athens this summer?
Emad: We are drawn into a group that is made up of Kuwait, Saudi Arabian, and Oman. We are specialized in dealing with Gulf countries.

shakomakonet: Emad, if you were the president of the Iraqi Football Association, what are the most important things that need to be fixed by you?
Emad: I would build playing fields and other training facilities. I would build schools for all different age groups, just like Amu Baba is doing. And I would recognize the fact that players and teams need special treatment.

shakomakonet: There was a strong rumor surrounding your transfer to AC Milan in the Italian Serie A, was that just a rumor?
Emad: That was not a rumor. AC Milan was serious in their offer. An agent of theirs spent two weeks in Iraq, but the FA didn’t agree. I have also received offers from Fulham in the English Premier League, PSV Eindhoven from the Netherlands, and the Turkish club Fenerbahce. I was set to move to PSV Eindhoven, but that fell through because of my injury.

shakomakonet: So why are you back in Qatar?
Emad: After returning from an injury, the Gulf is the best place for me to regain my strength and allow other clubs to look at me again. European clubs need to make sure a player is healthy and up to standards before they acquire him. The Gulf clubs are already familiar with my standard.

shakomakonet: What do you think of so many big names playing alongside you in the Q-league?
Emad: I am relatively new here. But I don’t think this is a successful project. Old players at the end of their careers can’t benefit Qatari football. The stars that come here are benefited but football in the country isn’t.

shakomakonet: What are the main differences between playing in the Qatari and Iraqi leagues?
Emad: In Iraq, there are no proper playing fields, and the fans there are real tough on you if you lose.

shakomakonet: In an ideal world, where would you want to play?
Emad: I wish I can play for Real Madrid.

shakomakonet: The Arabic sports media refers to you as “The Star of Arabic Football”, what does that mean to you?
Emad: I cherish any title like that. But at the end of the day all these titles come from journalists, so it doesn’t make it true.

shakomakonet: Has all this attention made you vain?
Emad: Absolutely not, if I was stuck up, I wouldn’t talk to anyone. I know I’ve been very fortunate and I work very hard as well.

shakomakonet: What has been your biggest achievement thus far?
Emad: Personally, it has been being runner up for the best player in Asia, and being selected for the Asian dream team as well. Winning the cup with Al Zawraa and the Iraqi youth squad, are two things that I cherish as well.

shakomakonet: What has been your nicest goal?
Emad: I love my goals against Brazil and Iran, and against Thailand in Baghdad.

shakomakonet: Who is Iraq’s toughest Asian opponent?
Emad: It isn’t Iran. I think we can always beat them or at least tie them. The toughest teams that we will face this summer in the Asian Cup will be Japan, Korea, and China. But with determination, I think we can beat them as well.

shakomakonet: What is the toughest crowd to play against?
Emad: When we won the 2000 Asian Youth Championships in Iran, the Iranian crowd was very difficult to deal with. Even the police beat us up!

shakomakonet: What has been your worst game?
Emad: It was against Thailand during the 2002 World Cup qualifiers in Bangkok. Even though I scored the equalizer that day, I missed a penalty kick.

shakomakonet: You recently got married, congratulations. How has marital life effected your football?
Emad: It has regulated and organized my life. I eat better, I don’t stay out late, and I know I won’t come back to an empty house after a game. It has been very good for my football.

shakomakonet: You mentioned eating better, are there certain things that you eat or don’t eat on game day?
Emad: I have a nutritionist that helps me regulate my diet. I eat foods high in energy and carbohydrates before a game, and I stay away from meats. My favorite dish, however, is tebsi betinjan (eggplant stew).

shakomakonet: Is there any special ritual that you go through before each game?
Emad: I read Surat Yaseen and other parts from the Holy Koran. I have no superstitions.

shakomakonet: Emad, if you were sent to an island for the rest of your life, and you can have only three things or people with you, what or who would you choose?
Emad: I would choose my mother, I can never let go of her. I would also choose my wife, and a soccer ball.

shakomakonet: What would you say to the numerous Iraqi fans out there reading this interview?
Emad: To our fans in Iraq, we wish that things would be safe again, and we want to achieve good results to make you happy. We hope to give our fans worldwide a special gift very soon.

Special thanks to all those that helped in recording and documenting this interview. Without you, this would not have been possible.