Iraq's midfielder #14 Zidane Iqbal controls the ball. | Photo Credit: AFP

Zidane Iqbal is set to make history when he takes the field for Iraq against Norway in Group I of the FIFA World Cup on Tuesday at the Boston Stadium in Foxborough.

Iqbal, who was born in Manchester, England to a Pakistani father and an Iraqi mother, will become the first Pakistan-origin player to play in the World Cup.

After progressing through the youth ranks at Manchester United, he became the first Iraqi to play for the club and the first-ever British South Asian to play in the UEFA Champions League.

The 22-year-old currently plays in the Eredivisie for Utrecht.

Iqbal, who made his international debut in 2022, has 22 appearances for Iraq, scoring two goals.

Published on Jun 17, 2026