Karrar Jaafar
Iraqi footballer (born 2006)
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Karrar Jaafar Gatea (Arabic: كَرَّار جَعْفَر كَاطِع; born 29 July 2006) is an Iraqi professional footballer who plays as a left winger for Iraq Stars League side Al-Minaa.[3]
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Karrar Jaafar Gatea[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 29 July 2006[2] | ||
| Place of birth | Basra, Iraq | ||
| Height | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | ||
| Positions | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Al-Minaa | ||
| Number | 11 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2022 | Al-Minaa | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022– | Al-Minaa | 81 | (15) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022–2023 | Iraq U17 | 8 | (1) |
| 2023–2025 | Iraq U20 | 9 | (3) |
| 2025– | Iraq U23 | 1 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 14 September 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 7 September 2025 | |||
Club career
Jaafar started playing football at the Al-Minaa Academy, and won with Al-Minaa U19 team, the Iraqi Youth Premier League in 2022.[4] In September 2022, he was promoted to play with the club's first team, and they won the Iraqi Premier Division League and gained promotion to the Iraq Stars League.[5][6] He scored five goals, scoring against Al-Jolan, Al-Hussein, Afak, Al-Samawa[7] and Al-Shirqat.[8]
In August 2023, his contract with Al-Minaa was renewed[9] and he played in the starting lineup regularly in the Iraqi Stars League, He was Al-Minaa's top scorer that season, scoring 8 goals, scoring against Al-Najaf,[10] Al-Hudood,[11] Al-Zawraa,[12] Karbala,[13] Zakho,[14] Erbil,[15] Naft Maysan,[16] and Dohuk.[17] His rocket goal against Al-Najaf goalkeeper Sarhang Muhsin was considered a strange phenomenon in the league, as it was the goal of the youngest player in the league (16 years old) against the oldest goalkeeper in the league (37 years old).[18] In August 2024, his contract with Al-Minaa was renewed for an additional season.[19] He did not play much in the 2024–25 season, as the club allowed him to participate in the AFC U-20 Asian Cup in China after initially refusing to allow him.[20][21] However, after the championship ended, he returned to participate in several matches, and on March 7, 2025, he scored the winning goal against Erbil in the away match.[22] On 2 July 2025, he came on as a substitute and scored a goal against Diyala, as Al-Minaa won 3–0.[23]
International career
Jaafar was first picked to represent Iraq in 2022, when the under-17 coach Ahmed Kadhim selected him to be a part of his 23-man squad to play in 2022 Arab Cup U-17.[24] In his first match, he scored the best goal in the tournament against Morocco.[25][26] He was also part of the squad for the 2023 AFC U-17 Asian Cup qualification.[27]
He was also selected by the coach Emad Mohammed to be part of the 26-man Iraq U20 squad to play in the 2024 WAFF U-19 Championship.[28] He was also named in the 2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup qualification in Thailand[29] and played the first match against Brunei and scored two goals, provided two assists and caused a penalty in this match.[30] He also scored the winner against Thailand in the final round match, helping his team qualify for the 2025 AFC U-20 Asian Cup in China.[31]
He was also part of under-23 squad for the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualification in Cambodia,[32]
Honours
Al-Minaa