"Gunmen wearing military uniforms and driving four-wheel drive vehicles broke into the house of Ghanim Khudayer and took him away," Sameer Kadhim, chairman of the Air Force Club said, adding the incident occurred Friday.

"We do not know the reasons for the kidnapping and also who is behind this," he said.

Kadhim said Iraqi security forces were aware of the incident and "efforts are underway to secure his release."

Ghanim's team won the 2004-2005 Iraqi soccer championship and he is considered one of the best strikers in the club.

His abduction is the latest in a spate of such incidents to hit Iraqi sportsmen, the last being the mass kidnapping of top sports officials in July, including the president of the Iraqi National Olympic Committee Ahmed al-Hejea.