Rabin Sulaka: The only Thai League player in history from Port FC to make an appearance in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals with the Iraq national team.
The name Rabin Sulaka may not be widely known or popular among general Thai football fans, but his career has long been intertwined with Thai football.
This suggests that the Thai League has been a significant platform in developing and elevating his skills to reach the level of competing in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals today.
Originally, the 34-year-old Iraqi defender of Assyrian descent joined Thailand's top team Buriram United, known as the Thunder Castle, in 2021. He quickly made a name for himself as one of the strongest foreign center-backs in the modern Thai League era, helping the team secure back-to-back Thai League titles and multiple FA Cup and League Cup trophies.
Throughout his time in the Thai League, Rabin Sulaka consistently held a key position in the Iraq national team, gaining opportunities to compete in major Asian tournaments and World Cup qualifiers. To date, he has earned over 50 caps for Iraq.
After gaining experience in South Korea, Switzerland, and Iraq, he decided to return to Thailand in 2025 to join Port FC, bringing his international experience to strengthen their defense like never before.
On 23 June 2025, Rabin Sulaka made history again by being named in Iraq's squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals group stage match against a star-studded France team, including players like Kylian Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé, at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
Sulaka was brought on as a substitute for Haid Tahseen in the 60th minute of the second half. Despite Iraq's 0-3 loss to France, the defeat left Iraq with two consecutive losses and no points, placing them last in Group I. Iraq’s final group match will be against Senegal on 27 June at 02:00 Thailand time.
Rabin Sulaka's achievement as the first Thai League player to compete in the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals while still active in the Thai League highlights the league's capability to develop players of world-class quality. This milestone enhances the Thai League's reputation and recognition among global football fans, thanks to the credit of Rabin Sulaka.