Former Manchester United midfielder Zidane Iqbal is in line to become the first footballer of Pakistani origin to play at a FIFA World Cup following Iraq’s qualification for the 2026 edition.
Born in Manchester to a Pakistani father from Sahiwal and an Iraqi mother, the 23-year-old midfielder chose to represent Iraq at the international level. Iraq’s successful qualification campaign has now paved the way for Iqbal to compete on football’s biggest stage.
Iqbal rose through the ranks of Manchester United’s academy and made history in 2021 when he became the first British South Asian player to represent the club’s first team.
While he represents Iraq internationally, Iqbal’s achievement has drawn attention in Pakistan due to his family roots in Punjab. His father hails from Sahiwal, giving the midfielder a strong connection to the country.
For Pakistani football fans, Iqbal’s qualification for the World Cup marks a significant milestone, as no player of Pakistani origin has previously appeared at football’s premier international tournament.
by bringing him to Pakistani squad pff will ruin his career.
This is the most pathetic news. Him playing has 0 to do with pakistan. He wasn’t even born in pakistan
By that logic , israel is playing bcz most of the players in Europe have israel origin