Former Manchester United midfielder makes history at the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Image Credits: Imago Images
Manchester United-linked figures continue to be represented across the 2026 World Cup.
While attention in Manchester remains on building a squad capable of competiting under Michael Carrick, stories emerging from the tournament are highlighting just how far United’s former youth system continues to reach.
One of those stories unfolded in Boston on Tuesday night, where history was made in a Group I clash between Iraq and Norway.
Despite Iraq falling to a 4-1 defeat, the spotlight shifted away from the scoreline and onto a deeply significant moment involving Zidane Iqbal.
The former Manchester United academy midfielder came off the bench in the 59th minute, making his first-ever World Cup appearance after being called up and instantly entering the history books.
Zidane Iqbal makes history
Zidane Iqbal has become the first player of Pakistani heritage to feature in a men’s FIFA World Cup, a landmark moment celebrated far beyond the stadium.
Born in Manchester to a Pakistani father and Iraqi mother, the 23-year-old’s appearance carried meaning for millions of fans across Pakistan.
He later admitted the scale of the achievement came as a surprise to him personally after discovering the news online.
“To be honest, I didn’t even know it myself,” he said.
“I followed the account that posted it and sent it to my dad straight away. I think we were both surprised.”
The midfielder added that the moment carried personal significance given his family background and upbringing.
“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.
“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, who joined Manchester United’s academy at the age of nine in 2012, developed through the club’s youth system before moving on to senior football in Europe.
He officially left Old Trafford in June 2023, signing for Dutch side FC Utrecht on a four-year deal in search of regular first-team football.
On the pitch in Boston, Norway’s Erling Haaland stole headlines with a brace on his World Cup debut, but Iqbal’s introduction carried a different kind of significance.
For many supporters, particularly in Pakistan, a nation of over 240 million people that has never reached a World Cup, his appearance represented a breakthrough moment in representation.
Pakistan’s football history has long struggled on the international stage, with just one qualifying win ever recorded and a FIFA ranking among the lowest globally.
But Iqbal’s milestone offered a rare moment of pride.
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