Ammo Baba has died!

Iraq's most popular soccer player and former Iraqi national soccer coach Ammo Baba, who's real name is Emmanuel Baba Dawud, has died in a hospital on May 28, 2009, in the northern city of Dohuk from ill health.He was 74 years of age.

The picture shows Ammu Baba poses during a training session with under 17 youth players 15 February 2002 in Baghdad.

He was mourned by Iraqis and sporting officials, who said his death was a loss for Iraqi soccer. “Ammo represented all that was good about Iraqi football,” said Najih Hammoud, the first deputy of Iraq’s soccer federation.

Dawud first gained notoriety in Iraq after scoring the country’s first goal in an international game in the 1957 Pan Arab games.

He was named coach of the national team in 1978, and later lead Iraq to two Olympic appearances in 1984 and 1988.

I feel very sad because we lost a real and an honest man who served and loved Iraq and the Iraqis during the rest of his life.

May Allah bless him and grant him peace