Al Riyadh star Bayesh leading Iraq's World Cup dream - against Saudi Arabia | OneFootball

Al Riyadh’s Ibrahim Bayesh stands on the precipice of history for football in his native Iraq, 90 minutes away from returning the Lions of Mesopotamia to the global stage for the first time since Mexico 1986.

But to do so means breaking Saudi Arabian hearts, which could make for an awkward return to his club later this week.

Iraq’s hard-fought 1-0 win against Indonesia at Alinma Stadium on Saturday night sets up a mouth-watering, winner-takes-all showdown with hosts Saudi Arabia on Tuesday in Jeddah. It's there, at the same venue, that a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup is on the line.

The equation is simple: Iraq must win while either a draw or victory will be good enough for Herve Renard’s Green Falcons to reach a third successive showpiece.

Most certainly, Bayesh will be in the thick of all the action, a playmaker employed by a Roshn Saudi League club but roaring with pride for his native Iraq.

Bayesh is one of 13 Iraqi players to have played in the RSL during the SPL era, with Younis Mahmoud perhaps the most revered to have graced the Kingdom's pitches; the legendary striker represented Al Ahli more than a decade ago.

But Bayesh is part of an emerging new generation that are taking Iraqi football to new heights, alongside players like Youssef Amyn - the forward shone for Al Wehda last season - and Ali Jasim, who is on the books of newly promoted Al Najmah.

Bayesh, 25, has long been on the radar after his exploits for Baghdad-based Al Quwa Al Jawiya, in which he helped the club capture the AFC Cup - the predecessor to the AFC Champions League Two - in 2018, the club’s third AFC Cup triumph in succession.

Despite being only 18 at the time, Bayesh played a leading role in the knockout rounds, scoring the second goal in the final in a 2-0 victory against Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr. It is from there that he earned his reputation as a big-game player.

It also saw Bayesh rewarded with a first-call up to the national team, where he has largely been an ever-present since. Of course, there have been lows and sky-high highs, with Bayesh first suffering the pain of missing out on qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

Yet, less than a year later, he experienced the unbridled joy of winning the Arabian Gulf Cup on home soil. The identity of the champions felt fitting since it marked the first time the tournament had been played in Iraq since 1988.

Not only was Bayesh a key member of the team that sealed the trophy, he was also named the tournament’s MVP for his scintillating performances.

Those displays comprised three goals and, in turn, meant he finished joint-top scorer with three goals, including netting the opener in the final against Oman in front of a sold-out 65,000 crowd at the Basra International Stadium.

It served to only further underline Bayesh’s potential and pedigree in the region's football. Still on the books of Al Quwa Al Jawiya, it also prompted clubs around the world to reportedly chase his signature and, in August of last year, Bayesh committed his future to Al Riyadh.

It's a move that has paid off for both player and club, with Bayesh announcing his arrival in last season’s RSL by scoring on debut in a 3-3 thriller with Al Wehda.

In his first RSL campaign, he was one of Al Riyadh’s biggest contributors, ranking as their second top-scorer, with five goals, as the capital club came home in 11th.

Bayesh’s start to this season, however, has been a little more auspicious, when a red card in Al Riyadh’s 2-1 win against Al Najmah in Matchweek 2 stunted his input.

But there is no stymying the excitement in Iraq ahead of the do-or-die showdown with Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. With manager Graham Arnold now in charge, who has been there and done it with Australia, there is a renewed sense of belief that this is Iraq’s time.

While that would come at the expense of Saudi Arabia, that will - for the moment at least - be of little concern to Bayesh as he looks to achieve a life-long goal to play at the FIFA World Cup.

“Congratulations to the Iraqi people, congratulations to the fans who are supporting us,” he said just moments after the Indonesia triumph on Saturday in a video shared on social media by the Asian Football Confederation.

“God willing, we will realise the dream of qualifying to the World Cup.”