"I think we were both surprised."
Iraq play Norway on June 16 in their opening World Cup match but for Zidane Iqbal, it could be a historic moment for Pakistan.
If he plays the match, he would become the first player of Pakistani heritage to feature at a men’s World Cup.
Pakistan’s national team have never reached a World Cup, and have won just one qualifying match in their entire history.
They are ranked 198th in the FIFA world rankings and as a result, fans in Pakistan have never had a player to follow on football’s biggest stage.
Zidane Iqbal was born in Manchester and came through the Manchester United academy before moving into senior football.
Now at Dutch club Utrecht, he is eligible for Iraq through his mother and Pakistan through his father.
Poised to become the first Pakistani heritage player at a men’s World Cup, Iqbal told BBC Sport:
“To be honest, I didn’t even know it myself.
“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. When I tried to qualify for the World Cup with Iraq, I didn’t think of anything like this.
“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 honours both sides of his family by wearing both countries’ flags on his boots.
This is not the first achievement Iqbal has had in regard to his background.
In 2021, he became the first British South Asian player to play for Manchester United at senior level, coming off the bench in the Champions League match against Young Boys.
Iqbal hopes his story can serve as inspiration for the next generation.
“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.
“I think if you ask any professional, it’s not easy at all and everyone has their ups and downs.
“A lot of commitment and hard work is needed.
“So hopefully when kids see people trying to be a professional footballer, or me, they see those of South Asian heritage or even of any heritage, that you can make it from any background, any area, wherever you’re from, any religion.
“Hopefully they see that, and it inspires them.”
Iraq endured a tough 21-game qualifying run, the most fixtures of any nation, to become the last side to secure their place at the 2026 World Cup.
It is only their second World Cup appearance, 40 years after their debut at Mexico 1986.
As well as Norway, Iraq’s group also includes France and Senegal. If they make out of the group, Zidane Iqbal said his country will “shock the world”.
He added: “I think we’ve got a free shot.
“We go there, it’s our first World Cup in 40 years. Funnily enough, that 1986 World Cup was in Mexico, and now this World Cup is in Mexico. I think that’s beautiful as well.
“But for us, I think we’re going there with no pressure. We’re the underdogs. I think if we lose, people expect us to lose. If we win, we shock the world.
“Of course, we’re all going to work hard. I think we’re all excited and when you’re excited and you work hard, anything can happen in football. So, let’s wait and see what happens.”
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