Besides handing out the coveted diplomatic travel documents, al-Maliki had already announced a $10,000 bonus for each man.

The team was then feted at a dinner attended by lawmakers and Cabinet members, as well as relatives of victims of two car bombings that struck revelers in Baghdad after the semifinals.

Many Iraqis interpreted the mixed religious makeup of the winning national team as proof that unity was possible and politicians were more concerned with their narrow sectarian agendas than national interests.

But team captain Younis Mahmoud, the Sunni who scored the winning goal in the final, did not make the trip home, saying he feared for his life in Iraq. Two other players ¡ª Nashat Akram, a Shiite, and Hawar Mulla Mohamad, a Kurd ¡ª also did not return. Officials said they were absent because of contract obligations outside the country.

Because of tenuous security at home, the players do not live in Iraq and must train and practice abroad, earning their wages playing for league teams across the Middle East.

Despite the boisterous welcome by a carefully selected several hundred people, most soccer-crazed Iraqis were not able to see the team in person.

But hundreds of Iraqi expatriates had turned out to celebrate the victory as the team returned toward Baghdad with stops in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Amman, Jordan. Iraq bested three-time champions Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the final cup game Sunday in Jakarta, Indonesia.

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