Zidane Iqbal
Iqbal with Manchester United in 2021
Personal information
Full name Zidane Aamar Iqbal[1]
Date of birth (2003-04-27) 27 April 2003
Place of birth Manchester, England[2]
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)[2]
Position(s) Midfielder
Team information
Current team
 Utrecht
Number 14
Youth career
2007–2012 Sale United
2012–2021 Manchester United
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2021–2023 Manchester United 0 (0)
2023– Jong FC Utrecht 1 (0)
2023– Utrecht 4 (0)
International career‡
2021– Iraq U23
2022– Iraq 4 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 16:47, 21 December 2023 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 21:00, 7 September 2023 (UTC)

Zidane Aamar Iqbal (Arabic: زيدان عمار إقبال, Urdu: زیدان عامر اقبال; born 27 April 2003) is a professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Eredivisie club Utrecht. Born in England, he plays for the Iraq national team.

Iqbal joined Manchester United's youth system aged nine. He made his first-team debut in a UEFA Champions League match in December 2021. Iqbal represented Iraq at under-23 level before making his senior international debut in January 2022.

Early life

Born in Manchester to a Pakistani father and an Iraqi mother, Iqbal played for local side Sale United from the age of four before joining Manchester United at the age of nine.[3]

Club career

Manchester United

Iqbal signed his first professional contract with Manchester United in April 2021.[4][5] He made his first-team debut for Manchester United on 8 December 2021 as an 89th-minute substitute in a Champions League match against Young Boys.[6] Thus, he became the first British-born South Asian to play for the club, and the first ever British South Asian to play in the Champions League.[7][8]

Utrecht

On 23 June 2023, Iqbal announced that he would be leaving Manchester United to a new club, subject to registration and international clearance.[9] His move to Utrecht was announced and finalised on 26 June on a four-year contract for an undisclosed fee.[10]

International career

Iqbal is eligible to represent England, Iraq and Pakistan at international level.[11]

In May 2021, he received an Iraqi passport, and has represented Iraq at youth international level.[12][13] In June 2021, he was called up to the Iraq under-20 team for the 2021 Arab Cup U-20. However, he was refused to travel by Manchester United, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[14]

In September 2021, Iqbal received his first call up to the Iraq U23s for a training camp in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He made his debut on 4 September against the UAE U23s, making the starting line-up. In October 2021, Iqbal was named as part of the 23-man Iraq U23 squad for the 2021 WAFF U-23 Championship in Saudi Arabia.[15] On 8 October, Iqbal scored his first goal for the Iraq U23 team as the captain of his side.[16]

In January 2022, Iqbal was called up to the Iraq national team for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers against Iran and Lebanon.[17] He made his debut in a 1–0 loss to Iran on 27 January.[18]

Style of play

Iqbal is a midfielder with lots of flair, and is fairly versatile. His main position is as a central midfielder however he has been deployed as a defensive midfielder and attacking midfielder before.[19]

Personal life

As one of a small number of British Asians in association football, Iqbal was part of an FA content series to support South Asian Heritage Month in 2021.[20]

Iqbal is Muslim, and cites Mesut Özil as an inspiration for him.[21][22]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 20 December 2023[23]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup League cup Europe Other Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Manchester United U21 2021–22 —————3[lower-alpha 1]131
2022–23 —————3[lower-alpha 1]030
Total ————6161
Manchester United 2021–22 Premier League 0000001[lower-alpha 2]0—10
2022–23 Premier League 00000000—00
Total 00000010—10
Jong FC Utrecht 2023–24 Eerste Divisie 10————10
Utrecht 2023–24 Eredivisie 4010———50
Career total 5010001061131
  1. 1 2 Appearances in the EFL Trophy
  2. ↑ Appearance in the UEFA Champions League

International

As of match played 7 September 2023[24]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Iraq 202220
202320
Total40

References

  1. ↑ "Premier League clubs publish 2020/21 retained lists". premierleague.com. 4 June 2021. Archived from the original on 6 April 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
  2. 1 2 Zidane Iqbal at WorldFootball.net
  3. ↑ "Who is Zidane Iqbal? Manchester United teenager profiled after Champions League call-up". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. 8 December 2021. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  4. ↑ Luckhurst, Samuel (7 April 2021). "Manchester United teenager Zidane Iqbal signs professional contract". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  5. ↑ Kumari, Priyanca (9 April 2021). "Sports: Pakistani-Origin Zidane Iqbal Signs Professional Contract with Manchester United". britasia.tv. Archived from the original on 10 December 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  6. ↑ Stone, Simon (8 December 2021). "Man Utd 1-1 Young Boys: Youthful United side held in final Champions League group game". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 12 December 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  7. ↑ Varley, Ciaran (9 December 2021). "Zidane Iqbal becomes Manchester United's first British South Asian player". BBC Sport. Archived from the original on 20 July 2022. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  8. ↑ "Zidane Iqbal becomes first British South Asian to play in the UEFA Champions League". skysports.com. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
  9. ↑ Bostock, Adam (23 June 2023). "Iqbal's emotional post as he departs United". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  10. ↑ Marshall, Adam (26 June 2023). "Iqbal transfer confirmed". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  11. ↑ "Zidane Iqbal: Manchester United youngster called up by Iraq". BBC Sport. 23 January 2022. Archived from the original on 22 February 2022. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  12. ↑ "لاعب مانشستر يونايتد "زيدان إقبال" يتسلم الجواز العراقي" [Manchester United player Zidane Iqbal receives Iraqi passport]. shafaq.com (in Arabic). 20 May 2021. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  13. ↑ Feliciano, Daniel (10 July 2021). "Manchester United video suggests Zidane Iqbal may be the next David Beckham in the making". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  14. ↑ "مانشستر يونايتد يرفض التحاق زيدان بمنتخب الشباب" [Manchester United refuse Zidane to join the youth team]. ina.iq (in Arabic). 10 June 2021. Archived from the original on 8 December 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  15. ↑ "3 لاعباً في قائمة منتخبنا الأولمبي لبطولة غرب آسيا" [Iraqi Olympic team squad]. Iraq FA (in Arabic). 1 October 2021. Archived from the original on 2 July 2022. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
  16. ↑ "Zidane Iqbal captains Iraq under-23s and scores". United In Focus. 9 October 2021. Archived from the original on 11 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  17. ↑ "Zidane Iqbal: Iraq set to hand Manchester United teenager international debut away in Iran". Sky Sports. 20 January 2022. Archived from the original on 28 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  18. ↑ "Zidane Iqbal becomes 32nd international player in Manchester United squad". Manchester Evening News. 27 January 2022. Archived from the original on 4 February 2022. Retrieved 27 January 2022.
  19. ↑ "Zidane Iqbal Positions". FootballCritic. Archived from the original on 15 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  20. ↑ "A New Content Series will be Released to Support South Asian Heritage Month". thefa.com. 27 July 2021. Archived from the original on 14 December 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  21. ↑ Holt, Matthew (3 August 2021). "Iqbal Enjoying the 'Rollercoaster Ride'". manutd.com. Archived from the original on 4 August 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  22. ↑ Wood, Liam (3 August 2021). "Manchester United academy star Zidane Iqbal names his football idol". manchestereveningnews.co.uk. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  23. ↑ Zidane Iqbal at Soccerway. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  24. ↑ "Zidane Iqbal". national-football-teams.com (in German). Archived from the original on 8 February 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
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