“I actually feel better than then because I talk with the players and I think my team in 2007 is the same now, maybe we’re not ready for the Asian Cup but we can do it and now we’re in the semis," he said.
"Emirates beat Japan, why? So, I’m not afraid of Emirates, Australia or Korea.”
The veteran forward also spoke of the unifying power of football in his country and the drive to bring happiness to the strife-riven nation.
“I always say that my people want something they love and that can make them happy - this is football for the Iraq people because they don’t have anything to smile about in my country," he added.
“Football is everything, even yesterday I saw one video on the internet with a man with no shirt and clothes going outside. People said 'you’re crazy' but he said 'no I’m happy because my national team won'.
“My people need a little smile and the national team, makes that I think. This for the people.”
The 31 year-old is an iconic figure in Asian football, yet there had been questions over his starting role heading into the Asian Cup but he once again put those to bed with an impressive display in the quarter-final win over Iraq.
After turning up the chance to take a penalty in regulation time he stepped up for the fifth spot kick in the shootout where a miss would have seen Iraq eliminated and his international career come to a probable end.
That he not only scored but did so with a ‘panenka’ chip reinforced his importance to the side.
“I had missed with this type of penalty when we played Iran in a practice match before this Asian Cup but I scored one before in the Gulf Cup against Bahrain, so I knew I could do it," he explained.
“It’s important for my players because some are afraid of penalties but I’m not.
"I do it like this to tell the players 'hey don’t worry, the penalties are easy' and when I did it I sent a message to everybody – I’m not afraid.”
The uncontracted striker is also not afraid of voicing an opinion and weighed into the debate over Iran’s appeal concerning the eligibility of Iraqi forward Alaa Abdul Zahra.
“We won the game, so this should be finished. All Iran, not just the national team but all Iran, if you look at my website they send messages and talk about me not good and my country because they lost to Iraq."
