Zidane Iqbal, a former Manchester United midfielder, has expressed his immense excitement about representing Iraq at the upcoming World Cup, a dream he describes as a “dream come true.” This marks Iraq’s first appearance in the prestigious tournament in 40 years, with their last participation dating back to 1986.
A Dream Deferred, Now Realized
The 2010 World Cup is the earliest tournament Iqbal can recall, a stark contrast to the historical significance of Iraq’s qualification this year. “The amount of messages, the support we have had is crazy,” the player shared, reflecting on the overwhelming positive reaction to their achievement. Born and raised in Manchester, Iqbal, who now plays for Utrecht, is eligible to represent Iraq through his mother. He has become a pivotal figure for the national team, notably scoring a crucial goal against Indonesia during the qualifying stages.
Recalling that pivotal moment, Iqbal stated, “Honestly, it was an unbelievable feeling. It was just surreal scoring that goal because that is what I was waiting for.” While his goal was instrumental, Iraq’s qualification was ultimately secured through a playoff victory over Bolivia. Iqbal, who was on the bench for that match due to a recent return from a long-term injury, found the experience more nerve-wracking than playing. “When you are playing, the adrenaline takes over,” he explained.
The celebrations following qualification were jubilant, with Iqbal seen wearing a sombrero amidst the joyous scenes in Mexico. He described the Iraq squad as “one big family” and emphasized the life-changing nature of this World Cup opportunity. His focus since has been on reaching peak physical condition. “Making sure I can be at 100 per cent,” he asserted. Even on his days off, Iqbal has been undertaking personal training sessions in Manchester to ensure he is fully prepared for the tournament.
Manchester United Roots and Global Aspirations
Iqbal joined Manchester United at the age of eight and spent twelve years at the club, a period he cherishes. “I can say that I lived my childhood dream,” he commented. His senior debut came in the Champions League against Young Boys at just 18 years old. “It was probably one of the best days of my life,” he admitted. He was not only the first player of South Asian descent to play for United but also the first to feature in the Champions League. “I just focused on football, not to be the first of this or that, just because it was a dream of mine. But it is nice knowing that you can inspire kids.”
Beyond his debut, Iqbal values the daily experiences at United, particularly the opportunity to train alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. “Seeing someone that you had played with on FIFA and stuff to then train with was crazy. Just watching and trying to learn from him, just him being around. It is hard to describe because he is probably one of the greatest of all time, if not the greatest.” He highlighted Ronaldo’s intense focus and professionalism, noting, “Just his mentality, how focused he is, how seriously he takes things. But he is also a very nice, calm guy.”
Embracing New Challenges at Utrecht
The decision to leave Manchester United was Iqbal’s own, seeking a new environment to prove himself. He chose the Netherlands for its technical league. His tenure at Utrecht has been punctuated by two injuries, from which he feels he has emerged stronger. Playing in the Eredivisie and European competitions has accelerated his development. “It is a lot different,” he observed. “The stadiums are full. You are playing for points. There is more pressure from the fans to perform.”
The transition to living abroad at just 20 years old presented significant personal growth opportunities. “When you get there, reality hits you. You need to do this and that. The cereal and the milk in the fridge is not just going to be there at the weekend.” Now 23, he acknowledges the challenges but is proud of his resilience. “Living by myself, I have grown up a lot.” With a year left on his contract, a return to England is a possibility, as he admits, “I just miss it here. We will see what happens.”
Facing the ‘Group of Death’
Iraq faces a formidable challenge in their World Cup group, which Iqbal candidly labels the “group of death.” Their campaign begins against Norway, followed by matches against France and Senegal. However, coach Graham Arnold prefers to frame it as a “group of excitement or the group of opportunity.” Iqbal adopts this positive outlook, stating, “As a team, we are all fighters. So, we might be able to shock some people.” He added, “No one is expecting us to get out of the group so we have got less pressure on us. I probably prefer a group like this because you get to test yourself against high-level players and you can compare your level to theirs. You always have to back yourself.”
Iraq’s qualification journey has been a hard-fought battle, successfully breaking a 40-year drought. Now, the Manchester-born midfielder is focused on creating a memorable World Cup experience. “Football isn’t played on paper. There have been upsets in the past before. Why can’t we do it?” he concluded.
