Yaser Kasim

1.1. Childhood and Introduction to Football

At the age of six, Kasim left Iraq with his family, first moving to Jordan for a year, where he had his first school experiences, before eventually settling in England. His mother often recounted how a young and energetic Yaser would constantly kick a ball inside their second-floor flat in West London, breaking household items and prompting complaints from downstairs neighbors. This led them to encourage him to play outside in the park. She also fondly recalled a time when he asked her to stand in goal so he could practice shooting at her.

His parents later enrolled him at the Westway Sports Centre, paying £2 a week for him to participate in various sports. While they hoped he would pursue tennis, a sport in which he was quite competent, Kasim passionately pleaded with them to allow him to play football, his true calling. The seeds of his football passion were sown in his birthplace, Baghdad. His father reminisced about Yaser returning home with clothes filthy and knees deep in mud. A local shopkeeper once remarked to his father, "What kind of player is your son, he's fighting everyone and taking on everyone!" Kasim himself has spoken about the immense sacrifices his parents made, leaving Baghdad under UN sanctions in the early 1990s for a better life in London. He expressed that it "completes his heart" when he returned to Iraq to play for the national team, a gesture of gratitude for his parents' sacrifices.

1.2. Youth Club Journey and Key Decisions

Kasim's formal football career in England began in the youth teams of Premier League side Fulham. A coach from one of the sports centers he attended introduced him to Fulham, where he joined their youth setup. However, he left after a few months and transferred to North London club Tottenham Hotspur in 2007.

He remained with Tottenham's youth system until his 18th birthday, departing the club in the summer of 2010. This departure was a significant turning point; he notably refused a professional contract, believing he would not receive sufficient opportunities to progress at the club, having observed other players stagnating in their reserve ranks. This decision led to a challenging period of nearly a year out of football. Kasim acknowledged that it was "a very tough year," but emphasized the unwavering support of his father during this time. This 18-month hiatus from the sport had a profound effect on him, making him mentally stronger and more determined to succeed at the highest level of football.

2.1. Brighton & Hove Albion and Loan Spells

Following his departure from Tottenham Hotspur, Kasim joined Brighton & Hove Albion in October 2010, initially signing a short-term contract until January 2011. His contract was subsequently extended until June 30, 2011. While with Brighton, Kasim was an unused substitute in a 2-2 draw against Bristol Rovers on November 20, 2010. He made his official debut for the club on May 7, 2011, starting against Notts County.

Seeking more regular first-team football, Kasim embarked on two loan spells in the Conference Premier. On July 12, 2012, he joined Luton Town on a six-month loan deal. During his time at Luton, he established himself as a regular in the first team, often playing as a defensive midfielder during pre-season games. He debuted for Luton Town on August 11, 2012, in a 2-2 draw with Gateshead, making 11 appearances and scoring 1 goal for the club. On February 8, 2013, Kasim joined Macclesfield Town on an initial one-month loan, where he made 5 appearances. On May 21, 2013, Kasim was released by Brighton.

2.2. Swindon Town

Kasim finally found regular first-team football at Swindon Town, signing a three-year deal after a successful trial with the club. His tenure at Swindon was the most impactful period of his club career. Despite having been at the club for only a few months, an unknown Championship side made a bid for him on deadline day, which Swindon rejected.

In his first season (2013-14) with Swindon, Kasim played 45 times, forming an effective midfield partnership with Australian player Massimo Luongo. Manager Mark Cooper made him an instrumental part of the team. Swindon reached the final of the Southern section of the Football League Trophy, but lost to Peterborough United on penalties, with Kasim converting his penalty. He scored his first goal for the club on December 21, 2013, in the 77th minute against Coventry City. His second goal came in a 2-1 win over Peterborough United. In October 2013, Kasim signed a contract extension, keeping him at the club until 2016. He received a one-match suspension due to an accumulation of yellow cards, missing a league fixture against Port Vale. The 2013-14 season concluded with Swindon finishing eighth, narrowly missing out on a promotion play-off spot.

In his second season (2014-15), Kasim played 41 games across all competitions, scoring three goals. His first goal was against Crewe Alexandra in League One, his second against Chesterfield in the same competition, and his third against his former club, Brighton & Hove Albion, in the League Cup. Swindon finished fourth in League One, qualifying for the Championship play-offs. They reached the final but lost to Preston North End, narrowly missing out on promotion. Kasim missed some matches in January due to his call-up for Iraq's participation in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.

During his third season (2015-16) with the club, Kasim became an established member of the squad and served as the unofficial third captain. He played 29 games, scoring once in a 1-0 win against Chesterfield. Swindon finished a disappointing fifteenth in the league.

His fourth and final season (2016-17) with Swindon was particularly challenging. The club was ultimately relegated to EFL League Two. During this period, Kasim's Twitter account was hacked, his national team coach questioned his desire to play for Iraq, and he spent a significant portion of the season on the medical table due to persistent groin and hip injuries. His head coach, Luke Williams, frequently provided updates on his recuperation rather than his football progress, often stating that "Yaser's situation is ongoing."

2.3. Post-Swindon Career

After opting to leave Swindon Town in the summer of 2017, Kasim signed a two-year deal with Northampton Town in League One. He remained with the club until January 2019.

In the summer of 2019, Kasim moved to Sweden, signing a one-year contract with Örebro SK, a club competing in the Allsvenskan. He was released after the 2019 season.

In January 2020, Kasim signed with Iraqi Premier League club Erbil, hoping this move would increase his chances of being recalled to the Iraqi national team. He was formally introduced to the media alongside Sherko Karim. He made five appearances for Erbil before the Iraqi Premier League season was suspended and subsequently cancelled due to the COVID-19 outbreak. In June 2020, just five months after joining, Kasim left Erbil, claiming he had not been paid his wages since his arrival.

After leaving Erbil, Kasim was reportedly close to a move to South America, but he ultimately returned to Iraq for the 2021-22 Iraqi Premier League season. He signed a one-year contract with Erbil's Kurdish rivals, Zakho, and was unveiled wearing the number 5, the same number he had previously worn for the national team. Following an excellent start to the season with Zakho, where he scored two goals and helped the club reach the top six, Kasim was recalled to the Iraq national team. On January 15, 2022, it was announced that Kasim would play one more game for Zakho before joining a club in the Spanish second division, with CF Fuenlabrada reported as the likely destination. However, the move to Spain fell through, leaving Kasim without a club for the remainder of the 2021-22 season.

In July 2022, Kasim went on trial with National League side Notts County. Later, in October 2022, he signed with National League South club Welling United, departing on January 4, 2023, by mutual agreement. Following his departure from Welling, Kasim joined National League North club Gloucester City on January 28, 2023. However, after playing just one game, he announced his departure on February 2, 2023, to take up a coaching role. On February 24, 2023, Kasim signed for Isthmian League Premier Division club Margate, reuniting with assistant manager Ben Greenhalgh, with whom he had previously played at Brighton & Hove Albion.

Ahead of the 2023-24 season, Kasim signed for National League South club Eastbourne Borough on July 5, 2023. In January 2024, Kasim returned to Margate.

3.1. Debut and Immediate Impact

Kasim made his debut for Iraq against China on March 5, 2014. According to football writer Hassanin Mubarak, no player in the history of the Iraq national team had made his position his own after only 90 minutes quite like Yaser Kasim. The Baghdad-born West Londoner, after just one match, had notably controlled the midfield in Iraq's final Asian Cup qualifier against China during his debut.

Prior to this Asian Cup qualifying game against Saudi Arabia, Kasim had refused an earlier call-up, choosing to concentrate on playing for Swindon Town in League One, where he had become a key figure in the club's five-man midfield, alongside Massimo Luongo. His refusal may also have been influenced by having to pay his own way to Baghdad from London for two previous trips with the Iraqi Olympic team. Kasim, along with Ahmed Yasin and Osama Rashid, were first selected for the national side in 2011 under coach Wolfgang Sidka.

3.2. 2015 AFC Asian Cup

Kasim was a significant part of the Iraq squad that participated in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup. He scored a crucial goal in the group stage opener against Jordan, which secured a 1-0 victory for Iraq. During a friendly match against Japan on June 12, 2015, at Nissan Stadium, Kasim's younger brother, who lived in Gifu, came to watch but did not have a ticket. Kasim approached Japan's goalkeeper coach Ricardo López for assistance just before the match began, and López kindly provided a ticket. Kasim expressed his gratitude for Japan's supportive attitude, even towards an opposing team, and suggested that the Iraq Football Association should emulate such professionalism. Iraq ultimately finished fourth in the tournament.

3.3. 2016 Olympic Team Controversy

A projected 1.00 M GBP move to Swansea City fell apart at the last moment for Kasim, which he later described as the start of his "downfall." He then traveled to Spain to train with the Iraqi U-23 team, where he was expected to be named one of the three over-aged players for the Rio 2016 Olympics. However, he was not match fit and was somewhat overweight. In one warm-up match against Zenit St Petersburg, the coach substituted him into the game late, only to take him off about 15 minutes later, sending a clear message about his performance and fitness levels.

Subsequently, Kasim requested three days of leave, citing a need to sign a new contract with his club. He then went AWOL, switching off his phone and never providing a full explanation for his failure to return to the training camp. His sudden withdrawal came as a major surprise, especially since he had been the first over-aged player selected by the U-23 coach while recovering from an injury in Baghdad. With his mobile phone unreachable, officials from the Olympic team and the Iraq Football Association were unable to contact him. One Iraq FA official submitted a report on the U-23 team's stay in Europe and recommended that Yaser should be suspended.

3.4. Periods of International Absence and Return

Kasim refused to play for the national team on several occasions in 2015, 2016, and 2017. In September 2016, under pressure from former coach Radhi Shenaishil, he attended a call-up but claimed an injury. This occurred a month after he had already left the Olympic team training camp before the Rio 2016 Games. In 2017, Kasim ignored invitations from the new coach, Basim Qasim, before announcing his retirement from international football. However, he reversed this decision months later, in November 2017. Following his return, he played in a friendly match against the Saudi Arabia national team on February 28, 2018.

After several years out of the national team setup, Kasim was recalled to the Iraq squad for the 2021 FIFA Arab Cup under new manager Dick Advocaat. This call-up followed his impressive start to the Iraqi Premier League season with Zakho, where he had scored two goals and helped his club secure a top-six position at the time of his selection.

5.1. Club

5.2. International

Kasim represented the Iraq national team for their U-23 squad in 2012, making 1 appearance. For the senior Iraq national team, he played from 2014 to 2021, making 21 appearances and scoring 3 goals.