Sharar Haider.. a bright mark in the history of the Iraqi National team’s defense

One of the best defensive line players for Al-Rafidain Lions, during the eighties and nineties of the last century, he was unique in physical toughness and accuracy in monitoring opponents. He was a talented player and an exceptional leader, who contributed strongly to the success of Al-Rashid Club.

He is the star Sharar Haider Muhammad Al-Hadithi, who was born in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad in 1968. He graduated from the Department of Mass Communication at the College of Arts, and began his football career with Al-Rashid Club (Al-Karkh), for which he played from 1988 to 1998, with whom he achieved the Iraqi League title 5 times, and a Cup. Iraq 3 times, after which he played for a short period with Al-Zawraa, from which he headed to Al-Talaba, then Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, after which he began a professional journey with the Algerian team Batna, accompanied by his colleague Saad Qais.

Sharar returned again to Al- Quwa Al Jawiya, then left Iraq, and after 2003 he returned to Baghdad, and he made great efforts with his colleagues Raad Hamoudi, Hussein Saeed, and the late Ahmed Radhi in order to restore life to Iraqi sports, but he left Iraq and returned to London, where he settled, after… A short period.

At the international level, Sharar played for the Iraqi national team from 1989 to 1992, during which he participated in the 1996 Asian Cup, the 1990, 1992, 1994, and 1996 Arabian Gulf Cup, the 1988 Seoul Olympic qualifiers, and the 1990 World Cup qualifiers.

After his retirement, Sharar Haider held several positions, where he worked as president of Al-Karkh Club for more than 3 terms, and editor-in-chief of the sports page of Al-Zaman newspaper published in London. He was also elected a member of the Iraqi Football Association and served as the first vice president of the Iraqi Federation.

After suffering for a long time with illness due to a stroke, following open heart surgery, after which he entered a coma that lasted 45 days, Sharar Haider died on Friday, September 22, 2023, in a hospital in the Turkish city of Istanbul, at the age of 55, and was buried in the Karkh cemetery in the capital, Baghdad.

Achievements

The Iraqi League 5 times: 1988/1989, 1991/1992, 1992/1993, 1995/1996, 1997/1998.

Iraq Cup 5 times: 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994.

Iraqi Super Cup 3 times: 1992, 1993, and 1996.