Zidane Iqbal on being the first ever Pakistani to play in FIFA World Cup

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is fast approaching, and while the globe’s biggest football stars are gearing up for the tournament in North America, one player is carrying the pride of two distinct nations on his shoulders.

Zidane Iqbal, the former Manchester United academy graduate now plying his trade for Eredivisie side FC Utrecht, is set to make history. When he steps onto the pitch for the Iraq National Team, he will officially become the first player of Pakistani descent to ever play in a FIFA World Cup.In a recent interview on the Talk of the Devils podcast, the 23-year-old midfielder opened up about his journey, his dual heritage, and the surreal moment he realized his name was going into the history books.

Born and raised in Whalley Range, Manchester, to an Iraqi mother and a Pakistani father, Zidane Iqbal’s footballing journey began at local side Sale United before he joined the prestigious Manchester United academy at age nine. He made headlines in December 2021 by becoming the first British-born South Asian to play for the club during his UEFA Champions League debut, later taking the brave step to leave for Dutch side FC Utrecht in the summer of 2023 to secure regular first-team football.

Despite his historic ties to Iraq, the country he will represent on the world's grandest stage, Iqbal has never shied away from his deep connection to his father's homeland.

The 2022 PFF Ban: A Missed Opportunity for Pakistan

For Pakistani football fans, watching Iqbal don the green and white of the national team was once a very real possibility. Eligible to represent England, Iraq, and Pakistan, Iqbal’s international allegiance was highly sought after.

Back in 2021 and 2022, there was hope that Pakistan could secure the talented midfielder. However, the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF) was embroiled in deep administrative turmoil. Following a hostile takeover of the PFF headquarters by warring factions, FIFA imposed an indefinite suspension on Pakistan due to third-party interference. This ban crippled the national team's operations, freezing them out of international competitions.

While his father is incredibly supportive of his decision—even wearing Iqbal's Iraq jersey to games—Iqbal shared a lighthearted reality about his dad's ultimate footballing wish.

"He's Pakistani and he's proud of me, and he was happy when I chose Iraq... but of course, maybe because he's Pakistani, he'd probably be a little bit happier if I represented them," Iqbal joked. "At the time they didn't have a team, they had a lot of problems with the FA."

Reflecting on the moment he discovered he would be the first Pakistani-origin player at a World Cup, Iqbal described a feeling of pure awe.

"I was flying back and at the airport, my friend and dad sent me the post," Iqbal recalled. "I was like 'Wow, it's crazy.' When you're a kid you don't think of this stuff, you just want to play football and enjoy it. I was just playing football to enjoy it and qualify for Iraq and for the people."

He continued: "When I saw it, I was like 'Wow.' You know, your name's in history now, the first one, and no one can ever take that away from you."

As the 2026 World Cup kicks off, millions of Iraqi fans will be cheering for their national team. But alongside them, a massive contingent of Pakistani and British South Asian fans will be watching just as closely, celebrating a trailblazer who proved that a kid from Manchester with roots in Lahore can conquer the world stage.