Percy Lynsdale


Percy Lynsdale, is a former international Iraqi football player, who was one of the first players to play in first Iraq national football team, he also played for Al-Minaa.

Early years

Percy’s father had come to Iraq after WWI as an officer in the British Army and settled there after finding work in Iraq’s developing railway industry. He married a local woman and the family lived in Baghdad until Percy graduated from college and left the capital to live in Basra, and work as a clerk for the Basra Petroleum Company and the Al-Minaa Club, he also played for Al-Minaa team.

International career

In April 1951, Lynsdale started playing for the first Iraq national football team, He was called by coach Dhia Habib to play in the first international friendly in the history of Iraqi football. On 6 May 1951, Lynsdale played his first international against Turkey B in Turkey, which ended 7–0 for Turkey B.

Travel to study abroad

After the Iraqi team return to Baghdad, Lynsdale and his friend the player Saeed Easho left to study abroad, and never returned to Iraq.