Saeed captained Iraq through the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in 1985, playing 8 matches and scoring 8 goals including four against Lebanon in two 6–0 wins for Iraq, a winning goal against Jordan in Iraq's 3–2 win, which was Saeed's 100th appearance with the senior national team. Iraq finished in the top of the Group 1B table at 6 points in the first round, getting qualified to the 1986 FIFA World Cup qualification – AFC Second Round. Saeed scored two goals in Iraq's 3–2 away win over the UAE. They lost 2–1 in their home match which qualified them to the final round on away goals. Saeed also scored in Iraq's victorious match against Syria in Taif in which Iraq won 3–1 getting qualified for the first time of their history to the FIFA World Cup after ending their away match in a 0–0 draw. When the 1986 FIFA World Cup was about to start, there were some speculations about Saeed not being in Iraq's squad, due to his injury, but he joined the team in the last moments. On 4 June, Saeed played in Iraq's first match against Paraguay, where they were defeated by a single goal. After the match, Iraq's head coach, Evaristo de Macedo, discontinued Saeed from the squad, due to his former injury, and sent him back to Baghdad. Iraq lost their two other matches against Belgium and Mexico, getting knocked out from the group stage of the cup. Iraq has not qualified for the World Cup since.