ISLAMABAD: Iraq’s midfielder Zidane Aamar Iqbal made history as the first footballer of Pakistani heritage to play at a FIFA World Cup tournament this week when he took the field against Norway.
Iqbal, 23, was born in Manchester, England to a Pakistani father from Sahiwal in Pakistan’s eastern Punjab province and an Iraqi mother in April 2003.
He began his football career with Sale United at the age of four, where he was spotted by scouts and joined the Manchester United youth academy at the age of nine.
His father’s Pakistani nationality, his mother’s Iraqi nationality, and his own British nationality made him eligible to represent any of the three countries internationally.
Iqbal has played for Manchester United’s youth and senior teams, as well as for Dutch club FC Utrecht and its reserve team, Jong FC Utrecht.
The FIFA World Cup 2026 is being hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Featuring 48 teams instead of the usual 32, the tournament began on June 11 and will continue until July 19.
Iqbal did not start Iraq’s match against Norway on Wednesday, but he was brought in at the 59th minute. His team lost 4–1. However, for millions of Pakistanis, it was a special moment when Iqbal stepped onto the field.
Pakistan has a population of over 250 million people but it has never featured in a FIFA World Cup tournament. And until Tuesday, no footballer of Pakistani heritage had ever featured in a FIFA World Cup, regardless of whichever team he represented.
Football in Pakistan has been growing rapidly and is governed by the Pakistan Football Federation (PFF), which organizes domestic competitions and oversees the national teams. However, infrastructure and funding remain limited, but the sport enjoys a strong following, especially among the urban youth.
Pakistan continues to work on developing talent and improving its performance in international competitions. The country has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup and is ranked 198th in the world.
The Pakistan men’s national football team ended a 74-year wait for a tournament title last Wednesday after the Green Shirts beat Afghanistan 1-0 in the final of the Diamond Jubilee International Football Tournament in Male.
