Zidane Iqbal Set for Pakistan First at Men’s World Cup

Zidane Iqbal is set to become the first player of Pakistani heritage to appear at a men's World Cup when he steps onto the pitch for Iraq on Tuesday. The 23-year-old midfielder, who came through Manchester United's academy and now plays for FC Utrecht, said he was surprised to learn the milestone had fallen to him.

Iqbal and Iraq

He described the moment simply: "To be honest, I didn't even know it myself," and said he sent the post about the milestone to his father straight away. "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."

Iqbal was born and raised in Manchester, but his family background runs through both Iraq and Pakistan. "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 said, adding, "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."

Pakistan's Missing Stage

That background gives his World Cup appearance a reach beyond Iraq's squad. Pakistan's men's team has never reached a World Cup, has won just one qualifying game in its history, and sits 198th in the Fifa world rankings despite a population of more than 240 million people.

Iqbal has also made his family ties visible on his boots. "I wear the Iraqi flag on my left side and the Pakistani flag on my right side," he said. "I think that's because I respect both sides."

Young Player, Big Marker

The 23-year-old said he hopes the step will carry meaning for others, not just for him. "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," he said.

He added: "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," a line that puts his role in plain terms: a player from Manchester, via Iraq and Pakistan, about to open a door no one from Pakistani heritage has passed through before.