Soccer stars show the way for Iraq with Cup victory

IRAQ’S divided politicians should learn from the country’s football team of Sunni, Shiite and Kurdish players, whose “unity” helped them win the Asian Cup yesterday, a top US diplomat said.

UN ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad, Washington’s former envoy in Iraq, applauded the football team for capturing its first Asian Cup by beating Saudi Arabia 1-0 in Jakarta.

“I want to congratulate Iraqis, the soccer team for a great victory that they had today,” Khalilzad told CNN.

The US is pressing Iraq’s government to make progress in national reconciliation efforts, and Khalilzad used the football team’s triumph to urge politicians to follow the players’ example.

“They were truly united, unlike the government and the political process, where the unity that exists is very much hedged,” the diplomat said.

“This unity was truly a united effort by the team that produced results. And I hope that the Iraqi politicians will learn from the soccer team,” he said.

Iraq coach Jorvan Vieira will not continue in his job despite guiding the nation to victory.

“It’s over. I don’t have any offers, but it’s over,” said the Brazilian, who took over the team on May 23.

“It’s good for my family, it’s good for my son and he can be proud of his father.”

Vieira has been linked with the vacancy at South Korea, whose former coach Pim Verbeek stood down after their third-place finish in the competition.

Rather than looking to the future, however, 54-year-old Vieira highlighted the importance of the win to the people of war-torn Iraq.

“I wish that we could help Iraq and that this could be the transport to help them,” he said.

“I’m very proud because it is very good when you can do good things. I didn’t just win the Asian Cup, I did something good for the country by winning the Asian Cup.

“What we have done in this competition is help the country and it’s very important for the Iraq people what we did for them.”