Celebrating the Gulf Cup Around the World

Opening Day – Basra International Stadium.

By Weam Namou

Sterling Heights, Michigan (15 Mile & Ryan)

Eevin Esho, 25, and his mother were shopping at the Dream Market Supermarket in Sterling Heights, at the corner of 15 Mile and Ryan roads, when suddenly they saw two people excitedly running outside with Iraqi flags. More people began rushing outside, cars started honking their horns, and people danced in the parking lot. Esho, too, bought a flag from the adjacent store and started celebrating with the crowd.

It was the afternoon of Thursday, January 19, and Iraq had just won the Arabian Gulf Cup 2023 championship, defeating Oman 3-2 in Basra. The team, “Mesopotamian Lions,” was crowned with the Gulf Cup title for the fourth time in its history. The last three were in 1979, 1984, and 1988. The win led to celebrations both throughout the country and internationally.

“I was happy for the people of Iraq and for everyone,” Esho said. “Soccer brings joy and happiness to the country.”

Due to the cold and rainy weather, Esho drove his mother home and then returned to the shopping center where he parked his car, stood on top of it, and raised the Iraqi flag from 4 pm until after 10 pm. “I was the last one standing,” he said.

Esho has been in the United States for 13 years, living in Texas until seven months ago. He loves living in Michigan but says it’s cold. That did not stop him, however, from standing outside in the cold for six hours.

“I saw people coming together and wanted to be with them,” he said. “I’m proud to be an Iraqi, and we have to come together, to love each other. We have a beautiful country and a respectful culture, and we should not forget the teachings of our parents and grandparents.”

Sterling Heights, Michigan (18 Mile & Ryan)

People were watching the game inside of Casper Burger & Escalope in the shopping center on the corner of 18 Mile and Ryan. When Iraq won, people enthusiastically celebrated under the shopping center canopy for a few hours then returned home. A post on social media brought them back at 7 pm, along with a DJ and a drummer, the owner Aiven Alzain.

Men, women, and children gathered under the canopy and danced the depka, some wearing traditional Iraqi attire, others had the Iraqi flag wrapped around them.  “It was a very good feeling,” said Alzain. “Iraq had not celebrated for a long time.”

Alzain, who has been in the United States for 13 years, Facetimed his cousins back home. “They were happy to see everyone here celebrating,” he said.

El Cajon, California

Sam Sako, Hollywood filmmaker, said that in El Cajon, California, the celebrations were not as elaborate as those in Michigan.

“We celebrated because we’re happy for Iraqis, but the happiness is not complete because out of 20 players there is not one Christian player,” he said. “I don’t want to bring up a negative point, but the negative point is there.”

Sako emphasized that the people in Basra are the kindest, most hospitable people he had met and shared some stories of true longtime friendships with Muslims. Still, he feels in Iraq there’s double-standards and discrimination against Christians.

“Our childhood memories are there, but we had to escape because we were persecuted,” he said. “No one protected us, and as peaceful people who fight with a pen not with a sword or gun, we couldn’t remain there.”

Dearborn, Michigan

Ahmad AL Kaabi, a resident of Dearborn Heights, was born in Iraq and came to the United States in 2001. Other than the spontaneous celebrations that took place on the day of the win, he, along with other locals organized a celebratory event on Sunday, January 22 in Dearborn at a plaza on Greenfield Road. It was sponsored by the Iraqi American Foundation and Great Lakes Logistics. While some considered cancelling due to the snow, others insisted, “No, we’re Iraqis. We’re not going to cancel. The weather won’t stop us.”

Between 800 and 1,000 people showed up and partied outside to songs played by DJ Sam.

“We’re all fans of our soccer team and were filled with pride,” said Al Kaabi, who like the majority of Iraqis, was awed by the way in which people came together. “We tend to complicate things through politics and issues. At the end, it was young and diverse players whose love and talent with a soccer ball helped bring the country together. We can all draw an example from them.”

Ankawa, Kurdistan

Taher S. Maty is a journalist and film director in Iraq. Although he doesn’t like soccer, he broke into tears when Iraq won. “Iraqis have suffered for over 41 years and finally they have something happy to celebrate,” he said.

All businesses stopped in Ankawa during the game. Everyone went into the streets carrying the Iraqi flag. The fireworks that night were more powerful than the ones set off on New Year’s Eve. Many passed out food, drink, and tea to help others stay warm.

“Christians were praying for our win,” he said. “Our feelings are even stronger and deeper than many because of our deep roots that go back thousands of years,’” he said.

Basra, Iraq

Mansor Adwr is a Chaldean who was born and raised in Basra and currently lives there with his wife and children. He attended one of the games and compared the win to “A Gulf Wedding.”

“My family and I walked the Corniche (waterfront promenade) at night and stayed up until the morning,” he said. He loved the way Iraqis spent two weeks hosting visitors.

“I’ve lived here all my life and never had problems,” he said. “We go to church every Sunday and have Muslims who attend there too.”

Basra is the second biggest city in Iraq and is close to the Iranian and Kuwaiti border in the south. Its location along the Shatt Al-Arab gives it importance.

Basra, Iraq

Ali H.O. Bnayan is an archaeologist whose dream came true when he attended the opening game even though it was sold out. “My friend had an extra ticket,” he said.

Bnayan loved how the Iraqis welcomed and hosted their guests from the gulf region, showing the true generosity of Iraqis. “The win was an addition,” he said.

He was emotional describing how everyone from a musician to an artist, teacher, and all other professions presented the best part of themselves. He wrote guests’ names in Sumerian, on clay tablets and gave it to them. “It was a simple but very meaningful gift.”

The diversity also touched his heart with people dressed in their cultural clothes like the Kurdish, Yazidi, Christians, and Baghdadis. People brought blankets and set up their tents outside the stadium where they stayed the night. The cold weather didn’t faze them.

“At the opening, when the lights went out and they played the anthem and then honored history of the Sumerians, Akkadians, Babylonians, I couldn’t hold back tears. We thought of how much Iraqis had suffered, how all the library books were destroyed by the Mongols. This event raised our spirits.”