Former Manchester United academy player is set to make World Cup history
Zidane Iqbal former Manchester United academy player is becoming the first person of Pakistani heritage to play in a men’s FIFA World Cup, and when he found out, he sent the news straight to his dad.
Zidane Iqbal, 23, currently plays for FC Utrecht after coming through United’s youth system, where he made history as the first British South Asian player in almost 20 years to feature in the Champions League. Now, representing Iraq at the 2026 World Cup, he is about to add another milestone to his name, one that carries enormous meaning for a country of over 240 million people whose national football team has never come close to qualifying for the tournament.
Speaking to BBC Sport, Iqbal said the realisation caught him completely off guard. “To be honest, I didn’t even know it myself. I followed the account that posted it and sent it to my dad straight away. I think we were both surprised. When I tried to qualify for the World Cup with Iraq, I didn’t think of anything like this.”
A flag on each boot
Iqbal was born and raised in Manchester. His father is Pakistani, his mother is Iraqi, and he carries both identities with equal pride onto every pitch he plays on. Quite literally, in fact. He wears the Iraqi flag on his left boot and the Pakistani flag on his right.
“I wear the Iraqi flag on my left side and the Pakistani flag on my right side,” he told BBC Sport. “I think that’s because I respect both sides. When people ask me what I feel more connected to, I can’t answer. For me, they’re both equal. It’s about respect and something I carry with a lot of pride.”
That pride extends back to his early career. Speaking to Manchester United’s official website, as reported by Geo TV, Iqbal was equally clear about what his identity means to him. “I’ve grown up in Manchester my whole life so I’d say I’m a proud Mancunian, but I’m also proud of my heritage as well. I’m proud of being English, Pakistani and Iraqi,” he said.
He also addressed why choosing to play for Iraq does not diminish any of that. “Me choosing to play for Iraq doesn’t mean I’m not a proud Mancunian or a proud Pakistani. I just feel this is the right opportunity for me as a player, the right step in my career and an honour, but it doesn’t take away the fact that I’m a Mancunian and a Pakistani as well.”
What this means for Pakistan
Pakistan sits 198th in the FIFA world rankings, and its national team has won just one qualifying match in its entire history. For football fans in the country, Iqbal’s presence at this tournament carries a significance that goes well beyond which team he is representing.
Ahmed Shahzad, who runs the social media account Pakistani Talents, told BBC Sport that the response has been overwhelming.
“Every Pakistani football fan knows about Zidane Iqbal. Historically, there’s been very little Pakistani representation at the top level of football, especially on the global stage like the World Cup. And that is a big inspiration for a lot of young Pakistanis, even locally and in the diaspora. I see a lot of people saying that Pakistan now has a nation to support at the World Cup, and they won’t be just backing Zidane Iqbal, they will be backing Iraq to go as far as they can in that tournament.”
The task ahead
Iraq qualified for the World Cup after an extraordinary 21-game qualifying run, the most fixtures played by any nation, to secure their place at just their second ever tournament. Their only previous appearance was at Mexico 1986, 40 years ago. The coincidence is not lost on Iqbal.
“Funnily enough, that 1986 World Cup was in Mexico, and now this World Cup is in Mexico. I think that’s beautiful as well,” he told BBC Sport. Iraq face France, Norway and Senegal in their group, a daunting draw by any measure. But Iqbal sees it differently. “I think we’ve got a free shot. We go there, it’s our first World Cup in 40 years. We’re the underdogs. If we lose, people expect us to lose. If we win, we shock the world.”
Source: Gulfnews
