Ahmed Ibrahim is Iraq’s sixth-highest appearance maker, having featured 118 times for his nation. He’s won countless league titles, cups and individual honours and has played all over the world.
As he tells FIFA though, he’s never seen anything like the support he receives at his current club, Zakho SC.
“I’ve played everywhere, in UAE, in Saudi Arabia, in Qatar, 12 years for the national team and it’s the first time in my life I’ve seen fans like these. I’ve played in Zakho for three years now and it’s really remarkable, the fans are truly amazing.
“Every game they come. It doesn’t matter whether we play a big team or a smaller one, they are always there, the stadium is always full. It’s really amazing.
“When we play away they come in the same numbers, they go Erbil, to Baghdad, Basra, everywhere. It’s truly special.”
More than just the numbers and the passion for the team, it’s the supporters’ charitable activities that have now earned them global acclaim as the winners of the FIFA Fan Award in The Best FIFA Football Awards™.
That came into sharp focus prior to the team’s Iraqi Stars League match with Al Hudood on 13 May.
As kick-off approached, the Zakho supporters threw thousands of stuffed toys on to the pitch, which were then collected from the field before the start of the match and donated to children suffering with illnesses.
Ibrahim is the club’s captain and recalls that day as extraordinary but just one part of an even bigger humanitarian push that is at the heart of everything the club’s fans do.
“They did this remarkable act of throwing toys on to the pitch to help children. In our region there are many sick children with medical needs and this helps those children, as does all the money that the supporters raise.
“They do many things like this, they go to schools, help homeless people or those without medicine or food, they help so much. There are many different groups, some for schools, some for children, or to help the homeless or those without food and bring money. It’s truly amazing.”
Located in the far north of Iraq, on the Turkish border, Zakho has barely 250,000 inhabitants but most of those are dedicated fans of the local club. On the pitch, the club had a fantastic campaign in the 2024/25 season, coming third in the league and making the final of the Iraq Cup.
Off the pitch, things are going even better and one of his nation’s greatest footballing servants couldn’t be happier, as the 33-year-old central defender explains.
“The city is small but the hearts of the fans are so big. Such good people, always respecting the players and our opponents.
“I’m not saying it just because it’s my club or my fans because I’ve played everywhere, and there is nowhere like Zakho. They are crazy about football and about helping people. I want everyone to come to Zakho and see these fans.”
