Iraq midfielder Zidane Iqbal is set to make history by becoming the first player of Pakistani heritage to feature at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The former Manchester United midfielder could achieve the landmark when Iraq face Norway on Tuesday, marking a proud moment for Pakistan.
Born and raised in England, the 23-year-old traces his Pakistani roots through his father and grandfather.
He shed light on his sporting journey in an exclusive interview with BBC Sport, revealing that he was surprised to learn he is of Pakistani heritage.
“To be honest, I didn’t even know it myself,” he told BBC Sport.
“I followed the account that posted it [that he was the first player of Pakistani heritage to play at a men’s World Cup] and sent it to my dad straight away. I think we were both surprised. When I tried to qualify for the World Cup with Iraq, I didn’t think of anything like this,” he added.
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He credited his Pakistani-origin father for playing a key role in his career.
“My dad is Pakistani. He’s my father, the man I respect the most in my life, who helped me so much in my career,” he remarked.
“I play for Iraq, grew up in England, but my dad was born in Pakistan. My grandad was a first-generation there, so I have a lot of respect for that side of my family.”
Iqbal also revealed that he wears the Pakistani and Iraqi flags on his shoes as a tribute to both sides of his heritage.
“I wear the Iraqi flag on my left side and the Pakistani flag on my right side,” he explained. “I think that’s because I respect both sides.”
Iqbal expressed hope that his achievement would inspire youngsters, particularly those of South Asian heritage, to pursue a career in football despite the challenges involved.
“I’m still young, but I’ll be the first Pakistani player to play in the World Cup, so hopefully a few kids that aspire to be a footballer will look at that and believe they can do it too, because football is a hard journey,” he revealed.
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He acknowledged that becoming a professional footballer is not easy and stressed that success requires commitment and hard work.
“I think if you ask any professional, it’s not easy at all, and everyone has their ups and downs,” Iqbal noted.
“A lot of commitment and hard work is needed. So hopefully when kids see people trying to be a professional footballer, or me, they see those of South Asian heritage or even of any heritage, that you can make it from any background, any area, wherever you’re from, any religion. Hopefully they see that, and it inspires them,” he concluded.
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