Affectionately nicknamed 'the Kaká of Iraq'[4] Alaa's road towards fame looked relatively straightforward.

At the age of 16, he got his playing career off to a dream start when he was discovered and signed by Iraqi powerhouses Al-Zawraa.

After the AFC Youth Championship 2006, Alaa Abdul-Zahra signed a one-year contract with the newly promoted Iranian Premier League club Mes Kerman.

On 29 December 2007 in his first appearance with Shabab Al-Ordon, Alaa Abdul-Zahra scored his first goal with his new team against Hussein Irbid in Jordan Cup, helped his team to win 3–2 and qualify to the quarterfinals, then on 3 Jan 2008 Alaa Abdul-Zahra played his 2nd and last match with Shabab Al-Ordon this season against Al-Arabi Irbid in Jordan League, which they won 2–3.

Alaa Abdul-Zahra and his Olympic team's mate Saad Attiya signed a Contract with Sudan giant club Al-Merrikh.

After the great months he spent in Al-Khor Alaa moved to another Qatari club this time with Al Kharaitiyat.

After pressure from the national team coach to leave the club, And his desire to play the striker instead of the midfielder.

The team reached the final of the Iraqi FA Cup once again, where he scored the winner in the 94th minute to win the championship.

Two years later, he would repeat this feat by figuring prominently at the 2006 AFC Youth Championship, where the striking prodigy finished as the tournament's second-top scorer with four goals despite his team's early exit at the quarter-final stage.

From there, he went on to showcase his predatory talents in Asia's qualifying final round for the Olympic Football Tournament Beijing 2008 by topping the scoring charts with a six-goal haul.