Zidane Iqbal: The footballer who gave Pakistan its first World Cup moment
Summary
Zidane Iqbal became the first player of Pakistani heritage to play in a FIFA World Cup when he appeared for Iraq. Born in England to a Pakistani father and Iraqi mother, he chose to represent Iraq, a country with a stronger football system, over Pakistan, whose national team has never qualified for the World Cup.Key Facts
- Zidane Iqbal, 23 years old, played for Iraq in the World Cup, marking a historic moment for players of Pakistani heritage.
- He was born in Manchester, England, to a Pakistani father and an Iraqi mother.
- Pakistan’s national football team has never qualified for a World Cup and is ranked 198th globally.
- Iqbal was eligible to play for England, Pakistan, or Iraq but chose Iraq because of the strong support from its football association and fans.
- He joined Manchester United’s academy at age 8 and played in the UEFA Champions League in 2021.
- Iqbal moved to Dutch club FC Utrecht for about €1 million to get more first-team experience.
- Pakistan’s football system lacks strong organization and resources, making it difficult to attract top players like Iqbal.
- Playing for Iraq gave Iqbal opportunities to compete in major tournaments he likely wouldn’t have had with Pakistan.
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