Iraq to miss key players

Iraq will go into the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Australia without some of their best players.

Iraq will go into the FIFA World Cup qualifier against Australia without some of their best players.

Captain and leading goalscorer Younis Mahmoud, who has scored 47 goals in 116 games for the Lions of Mesopotamia, and midfielder Nashat Akram, who has played more than 110 games for his country, announcing their immediate retirement from international football.

Attacking midfielder Alaa Abdul-Zahra is also out, having been sent off in this week's 1-0 loss to Japan.

The Qantas Socceroos face Iraq at Stadium Australia this Tuesday. Click here to buy tickets.