Former Manchester United Player Zidane Iqbal to Make History in World Cup Qualifiers

New York. In the World Cup 2026 qualifier match to be held on Tuesday, if a former player of Manchester United takes the field on behalf of Iraq, he will create a new history in the men's World Cup football. The surprising thing is that this historic moment will be a matter of pride not for the country he represents, Iraq, but for the football fans of neighboring country Pakistan.

Pakistan, a country with a population of over 240 million and the fifth largest in the world, has never qualified for the World Cup. In its entire football history, Pakistan has won only one World Cup qualifier match. This South Asian country, ranked 198th in the FIFA rankings, is among the 15 worst-performing countries in world football, due to which its citizens have never had the opportunity to cheer for anyone representing them in the grand spectacle of the World Cup.

But this wait is now ending. Former Manchester United midfielder Zidane Iqbal, who plays for Dutch club Utrecht, will become the first player of Pakistani origin to play in the men's World Cup as soon as he takes the field in an Iraq jersey. The 23-year-old Iqbal said that he himself is surprised to know about this unique and historic record. He expressed that he always feels proud of his ancestral heritage.

Talking to BBC Sports about this honor, Iqbal said, 'To be honest, I didn't know about this myself. I saw a social media account posting this information and immediately messaged my father. We were both very surprised. I never thought anything like this would happen while I was working hard to qualify for the World Cup from Iraq. My father is Pakistani. He is the person I respect the most in my life, who has helped me a lot in my playing career. I play for Iraq, I grew up in England, but my father was born in Pakistan. My grandfather was the first generation there, so I have great respect for that part of my family.'

Iqbal, born and raised in Manchester, has a Pakistani father and an Iraqi mother. The talented midfielder said he is proud to represent both his countries. He also demonstrates this honor on the field.

On one side of his football boots, the flag of Iraq is inscribed, and on the other side, Pakistan's. When asked about the reason for having both country's flags on his boots, he said, 'I wear the flag of Iraq on my left boot and the flag of Pakistan on my right boot. I respect both sides of my family equally. When people ask me which country I feel closer to, I cannot answer. Both countries are equally important to me. This is a matter of honor, and I carry it with great pride.'