“I Do Want to Play at the Highest Level”: Pakistan Captain Abdullah Iqbal Opens Up on Mjällby and Europe

Abdullah Iqbal was born in Copenhagen to Pakistani parents, but it is Pakistan he now captains. The defender also plays for Mjällby, the Swedish club that won the 2025 Allsvenskan, and he has been linked with clubs in Europe's top five leagues. He spoke to World Soccer's Imran Azam about his journey so far.

It starts with his choice of country, which he says was never really a choice.

“I was never called up or involved at youth level for Denmark,” he says. “When Pakistan made contact, I couldn't refuse.”

Captaining the side means a great deal to him, and to his family.

“It's an honour to play for and captain the team. You can just imagine how my parents feel.”

He also wasn't walking into a room of strangers. Denmark has a large Pakistani community, and several players from there had played for Pakistan before him. “When I was called up, I was around familiar faces,” he says.

His international career began under Shahzad Anwar, who pushed him to play out from the back. “I appreciate him for introducing me to international football,” he says. Then came Stephen Constantine, the old-school British coach who later made him captain. Constantine believed a central defender's job was clear: “my first responsibility was to clear the danger, become a no-nonsense defender.”

Together they made history, with Pakistan's first-ever World Cup qualifying win, over Cambodia. That set up games against Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Tajikistan. Pakistan lost all three, but he found something to take from them.

“It was still a sign of progression. It's very rare for Pakistan to come up against such quality. Even in defeat, you still learn. Two of those teams were at the World Cup.”

Now Nolberto Solano is in charge, and it is a new experience for him.

“It's the first time I have been with a coach who played at the highest level. When he asks you to do something, he looks at it from a players' perspective.”

Pakistan has had to rebuild itself off the pitch too. Three FIFA bans were imposed on the Pakistan Football Federation between 2017 and 2025, and the damage ran deep. “Having no football in Pakistan for almost ten years was a big setback at every level,” he says.

In June, Pakistan won the Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament, which showed how far the team has come.

He believes the next step is a proper league, because it would change more than the fixtures.

“It gives players a purpose. It gives the youth a reason to choose football over other sports, as they know they have a platform they can aspire to.”

The team has also gained something from playing regularly. “You can see the improvements in performances and results,” he says. “Winning a trophy for your country is a big achievement, especially given the issues we have had in the past.” The attention helped too: “It brings awareness to the Pakistani public that their senior team is active and winning.”

The next test comes this month at the SAFF Championship in Bangladesh. At the 2023 edition, Pakistan went out after three group-stage defeats, including a 4-0 loss to India. He has not forgotten it.

“Any match with India has an added edge. Losing by such a scoreline in front of their supporters definitely hurt. We weren't helped by our preparations, and I will leave it at that. This time it's at a neutral venue and we are in a much better place.”

At club level, he has been part of something even harder to explain. Mjällby, a team from a small fishing village, won the 2025 Allsvenskan with three games to go and a record 75 points. They did it against clubs with far bigger fanbases and budgets, such as Malmö, AIK and Hammarby.

“It's a cliché, but it was a case of taking it one game at a time. When you have a young team, you play without fear.”

As the wins kept coming, the world noticed.

“The number of foreign journalists attending home games just kept on increasing. The club did well to keep us away from the outside noise. They didn't want us to get caught up in the hype.”

Even if another team reaches those levels, he says, “you will always look back on what a special achievement it was.”

Life as champions has been harder. They didn't only win the league for the first time, they won the Swedish Cup too, and that brought attention. Some of the players have moved on, and replacing them has not been easy.

“Even though we are the champions, our budget is very small. The club want to develop young players. It's the correct approach but it takes time.”

Europe brought another first for him and Mjällby. They were expected to beat Lincoln Red Imps in the Champions League second qualifying round, and they did. Slovan Bratislava then proved too good, although he felt the two games were close. “The difference was that extra quality in some individual players,” he says.

They now play in the Conference League, and he sees real value in it.

“We have the Conference League and there are some big teams in there. We are being exposed to different styles and ability, which you don't always see in Sweden. It's all about learning and developing.”

Perhaps unsurprisingly, his name has been linked with clubs in Europe's top five leagues. He takes it in his stride.

“I take it as a compliment. It keeps you motivated to keep improving.”

Then comes the line that sums up his ambition.

“I do want to play at the highest level, and I've been public on that.”

He can't control when a move might happen, and he leaves that in Allah's hands. His biggest goal, though, goes beyond his own career.

“If I'm able to play my part in creating a pathway and advancing the game for other Pakistanis, then I'm more than happy to do so.”

Interview by Imran Azam, World Soccer magazine.