Saad Natiq

Saad Natiq Naji (Arabic: سَعْد نَاطِق نَاجِي, born 19 March 1994),^[2] sometimes referred as Suad Natiq Naji, is an Iraqi footballer who plays for Al-Talaba in the Iraqi Premier League and the Iraq national football team as a center back and defensive midfielder.^[3]

Saad Natiq

Personal information
Full name	Saad Natiq Naji[1]
Date of birth	(1994-03-19) 19 March 1994 (age 31)[1]
Place of birth	Al-Najaf, Iraq
Height	1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)[1]
Position(s)	Center back, Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team	Al-Talaba
Youth career
	Al-Najaf FC
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2011–2014	Masafi Al-Wasat		(1)
2014–2017	Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya		(3)
2017–2018	Al-Arabi	21	(3)
2018–2019	Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya		(5)
2019–2022	Al-Shorta	64	(8)
2022	Al-Batin	0	(0)
2022–2024	Abha	32	(1)
2024	Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya
2024–	Al-Talaba
International career‡
2011–2013	Iraq U20	3	(0)
2014–2016	Iraq U23	8	(0)
2024	Iraq Olympic (O.P.)	1	(0)
2015–	Iraq	41	(1)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 24 August 2022 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 30 July 2024

Club career

Born in Najaf Saad went through the Al-Najaf FC youth system and made his senior debut with his home club under Hatif Shamran in 2009 and was part of the club's first team for two seasons.^[4] However it was in the Iraqi capital that Saad made his name, when he joined Doura-based oil refinery club Al-Masafi in the south of Baghdad where he played for three seasons – earning his selection to the Iraqi U-19s.^[4] It was under Hakim Shaker that Saad Natiq became one of the nation's recognised defenders, playing for the Iraqi Under 19s at the FIFA World U-20 Cup in Turkey.^[4] It was his spell at Al-Masafi under the command of trainers Hassan Ahmed and Nadhim Shaker that he developed as a player and was transformed into a strong tackling centre half after used in several positions at the club including at right back having first started out as a midfield anchor in his early days at Al-Najaf.^[4] In the summer of 2014, the defender was signed by his former Al-Masafi club coach Nadhim Shaker to play for Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya after his club were relegated to the first division.^[4]

Al Arabi

Saad Natiq signed for Al Arabi for the 2017/18 season. He made his debut on 17 September against Al Sailiya which ended in a 3–1 defeat. He scored his first goal in the Qatar Stars League against Al Rayyan on 19 November, with his second coming in the same match.

International career

On 26 August 2015, Natiq made his first international appearance for Iraq against Lebanon in a friendly match.^{[citation needed]}

International Goals

No	Date	Venue	Opponent	Score	Result	Competition
1.	29 January 2024	Khalifa International Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar	Jordan	1–1	2–3	2023 AFC Asian Cup

Honours

Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya

• Iraqi Premier League: 2016–17
• Iraq FA Cup: 2015–16
• AFC Cup: 2016, 2018^[5]

Al-Shorta

• Iraqi Premier League: 2021–22
• Iraqi Super Cup: 2019

Iraq U-20

• FIFA U-20 World Cup 4th-place: 2013

Iraq U-23

• Asian Games bronze-medal: 2014