Manchester United Academy Graduate Zidane Iqbal Makes History As First Pakistani Origin World Cup Player

Manchester United academy graduate Zidane Iqbal made history on Wednesday morning as the first Pakistani-origin player to appear at the FIFA World Cup.

During Iraq’s opening match against Norway, the 22-year-old came on in the 58th minute for fellow midfielder Zaed Ismael. Despite his team suffering a 4-1 loss, his substitution marked a special moment for the British Pakistani diaspora, the wider British Asian community, and millions of Pakistani football fans worldwide. Pakistan, ranked 198th in the world, have never qualified for the World Cup, with only one qualification win to their name in their entire history. Zidane Iqbal is the closest they have come to the World Cup, and the Manchester-born United Academy graduate is the highest-profile Pakistani-origin player in years.

Iqbal was born in England to a Pakistani father and an Iraqi mother. Despite being eligible to represent all three countries, it was his mother’s homeland that swayed his heart. He takes great pride in his multinational heritage, and wears the flags of both his parents’ countries on his boots. "I wear the Iraqi flag on my left side and the Pakistani flag on my right side," he said. "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."

In 2021, aged 18, he became the first Iraqi to play appear for the Manchester United first-team, and the first-ever British South Asian to play in the UEFA Champions League. He received a first U-23 call-up for Iraq the same year, and a full international debut followed in 2022. He has since made 22 appearances for Iraq, scoring twice, and established himself as a regular squad member through their World Cup qualification cycle.

In 2023, he signed for Utrecht FC in the Eredivisie, making 12 appearances for the club’s U-21 side and 47 appearances for the senior team.