The Iraq national football team is participating in the FIFA World Cup 2026, and Zidane Iqbal has become the first player of Pakistani descent to play in the tournament. Iqbal played in the match that Iraq lost 1-4 to Norway on Wednesday. Erling Haaland scored two goals and created the third to lead Norway to a 4-1 win over Iraq on Wednesday in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup being held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Iqbal, the former Manchester United player, was able to participate in the second half of the match, in a moment described by the BBC as historic for Pakistani fans, as he became the first player of Pakistani descent to play in a World Cup match. Before the match, the 23-year-old told the BBC that he was "surprised" when he learned of this honor - and that he is proud of his origins. He added: Honestly, I didn't know about it, I followed the account that published the news that "he is the first player of Pakistani descent to play in the men's World Cup" and sent it to my father immediately. And the player who decided to represent Iraq continued: I think we were both surprised when I tried to qualify for the World Cup with Iraq, I never thought of something like this, my father is Pakistani, the man I respect a lot in my life, who helped me a lot in my career, and I play for Iraq, and I grew up in England, but my father was born in Pakistan, my grandfather was from the first generation there, so I have great respect for this side of my family. Iqbal was born and raised in Manchester, he is Pakistani from his father's side and Iraqi from his mother's side. And the talented midfielder confirmed that he is proud to represent both countries, which is evident when he wears shoes that carry the flags of both countries. When asked about why he chose to wear shoes that display his origins, the 23-year-old emphasized his "respect" for both countries, and added: I wear the Iraqi flag on the left side and the Pakistani flag on the right side, and when people ask me which country I feel more connected to, I cannot answer, for me, they are equal, it's about respect and something I carry with great pride. The Iraq national football team is facing great challenges in the 2026 World Cup, but with talented players like Zidane Iqbal, there is still hope for achieving positive results in the tournament. It is worth noting that the Iraq national football team is considered one of the best in the region, and has players with great experience in international stadiums. It will be important to follow the team's performance in the 2026 World Cup, which will play a major role in determining the team's fate in the tournament. The Iraq national football team will play a strong match against Norway, and has every chance of winning, but it will be difficult to achieve that without the support of the fans. The Iraqi fans are considered one of the best in the world, and they always support their team with all their might.