📂 Categoría: Football,World Cup | 📅 Fecha: 1780379617
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Former Manchester United youngster Zidane Iqbal has been named in Iraq’s World Cup squad.
The 23-year-old was a highly-rated prospect coming through the Red Devils’ academy ranks, but was sold in 2023 having made just one senior appearance.
Iqbal joined Eredivisie side Utrecht for just €1million [£850,000], in a decision which left many United fans disappointed.
But while the Old Trafford faithful had little chance to watch the midfielder in action for their own club, they will be able to catch more of him over the coming weeks.
That is because Iqbal, who qualifies for Iraq through his mother, will be competing on football’s biggest stage, after the Lions of Mesopotamia announced their 26-man World Cup squad on Monday.
Born in Manchester, the ex-United starlet made his senior international debut in 2022.
He will be adding to his 23 caps this summer, with national team boss Graham Arnold naming him in his travelling party for the summer showpiece in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
This comes despite Iqbal making just seven appearances for Utrecht’s first-team this term, having largely featured for their Under-23s side, who compete in the Dutch second division.
Iqbal isn’t the only familiar name in the Iraq squad, with Ipswich forward Ali Al-Hamadi also being called up.
The 24-year-old became the first Iraqi player to feature in the Premier League with Ipswich in 2024 and spent the season just completed on loan with Luton in League One.
Iraq have been drawn in Group I and will face Norway in Boston, France in Philadelphia and then Senegal in Toronto.
Who is Zidane Iqbal?
After joining the United academy aged nine, Iqbal progressed through the youth ranks before signing his first professional contract in 2021.
A highly-rated prospect, the midfielder caught the eye with his technical ability and intelligence on the ball.
This also earned him international recognition as a youngster, with Iqbal making his debut for Iraq’s Under-23s team in 2021.
The attacking midfielder then made his senior Red Devils bow in December of the same year, coming off the bench in the 89th-minute of a Champions League match against Young Boys.
In doing so, Iqbal became the first British-born South Asian as well the first Iraqi to play for the club.
But this would ultimately prove his only appearance for the club, as he was then an unused substitute in 17 first team matches in the following campaign.
But head coach Erik ten Hag decided that the midfielder wasn’t part of his plans, and Iqbal departed Old Trafford in the summer of 2023 to join Utrecht.
Since joining the Dutch outfit, Iqbal has gone on to feature 47 times across all competitions in three seasons.
He made 17 league appearances in his debut campaign, before featuring 18 times in the Eredivisie last term, scoring once.
And while Iqbal has been restricted to just seven first-team appearances this term, he will now be desperate to showcase his talents on the biggest stage of all with Iraq this summer.
World Cup WhatsApp
Don’t miss an update from talkSPORT in our dedicated World Cup WhatsApp channel.
Search for ‘talkSPORT World Cup in your ‘Updates’ tab on WhatsApp and we’ll drop the proper, unfiltered football chat straight to your lock screen—no fluff, just pure talkSPORT energy.
It’s where the real debate happens from proper fan reactions and big talking points and yes, Jason Cundy and Jamie O’Hara pointing and laughing at every nightmare in America, Mexico and Canada – even their own.
Former Manchester United youngster Zidane Iqbal has been named in Iraq’s World Cup squad.
The 23-year-old was a highly-rated prospect coming through the Red Devils’ academy ranks, but was sold in 2023 having made just one senior appearance.
Iqbal joined Eredivisie side Utrecht for just €1million [£850,000], in a decision which left many United fans disappointed.
But while the Old Trafford faithful had little chance to watch the midfielder in action for their own club, they will be able to catch more of him over the coming weeks.
That is because Iqbal, who qualifies for Iraq through his mother, will be competing on football’s biggest stage, after the Lions of Mesopotamia announced their 26-man World Cup squad on Monday.
Born in Manchester, the ex-United starlet made his senior international debut in 2022.
He will be adding to his 23 caps this summer, with national team boss Graham Arnold naming him in his travelling party for the summer showpiece in the USA, Canada and Mexico.
This comes despite Iqbal making just seven appearances for Utrecht’s first-team this term, having largely featured for their Under-23s side, who compete in the Dutch second division.
Iqbal isn’t the only familiar name in the Iraq squad, with Ipswich forward Ali Al-Hamadi also being called up.
The 24-year-old became the first Iraqi player to feature in the Premier League with Ipswich in 2024 and spent the season just completed on loan with Luton in League One.
Iraq have been drawn in Group I and will face Norway in Boston, France in Philadelphia and then Senegal in Toronto.
Who is Zidane Iqbal?
After joining the United academy aged nine, Iqbal progressed through the youth ranks before signing his first professional contract in 2021.
A highly-rated prospect, the midfielder caught the eye with his technical ability and intelligence on the ball.
This also earned him international recognition as a youngster, with Iqbal making his debut for Iraq’s Under-23s team in 2021.
The attacking midfielder then made his senior Red Devils bow in December of the same year, coming off the bench in the 89th-minute of a Champions League match against Young Boys.
In doing so, Iqbal became the first British-born South Asian as well the first Iraqi to play for the club.
But this would ultimately prove his only appearance for the club, as he was then an unused substitute in 17 first team matches in the following campaign.
But head coach Erik ten Hag decided that the midfielder wasn’t part of his plans, and Iqbal departed Old Trafford in the summer of 2023 to join Utrecht.
Since joining the Dutch outfit, Iqbal has gone on to feature 47 times across all competitions in three seasons.
He made 17 league appearances in his debut campaign, before featuring 18 times in the Eredivisie last term, scoring once.
And while Iqbal has been restricted to just seven first-team appearances this term, he will now be desperate to showcase his talents on the biggest stage of all with Iraq this summer.
World Cup WhatsApp
Don’t miss an update from talkSPORT in our dedicated World Cup WhatsApp channel.
Search for ‘talkSPORT World Cup in your ‘Updates’ tab on WhatsApp and we’ll drop the proper, unfiltered football chat straight to your lock screen—no fluff, just pure talkSPORT energy.
It’s where the real debate happens from proper fan reactions and big talking points and yes, Jason Cundy and Jamie O’Hara pointing and laughing at every nightmare in America, Mexico and Canada – even their own.
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| 📰 Publicación: | talksport.com |
| ✍️ Autor: | Martha Riley |
| 📅 Fecha Original: | 2026-06-01 18:58:00 |
| 🔗 Enlace: | Ver artículo original |
Nota de transparencia: Este artículo ha sido traducido y adaptado del inglés al español para facilitar su comprensión. El contenido se mantiene fiel a la fuente original, disponible en el enlace proporcionado arriba.
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