Former Manchester United midfielder Zidane Iqbal has spoken openly about his football journey, his experiences at Old Trafford, and his ambition to one day return to the Premier League and compete again at the highest level of the game.
Iqbal joined Manchester United’s academy setup at just nine years old and spent several years developing within the club’s youth system.
During his progression through the academy ranks, he quickly became known for his technical quality, calmness under pressure, and impressive ability to control possession in midfield.
Coaches and supporters who followed the academy closely often praised his composure on the ball and his confidence in tight situations.
His performances regularly suggested he possessed the intelligence and technical ability needed to eventually make the transition into senior football.
That opportunity finally arrived in December 2021 when Iqbal made his first-team debut for Manchester United during a UEFA Champions League group-stage match against Young Boys at Old Trafford.
He entered the game late on as a substitute for fellow academy graduate Jesse Lingard, creating a historic moment both for himself and for the club.
With that appearance, Iqbal became the first British-born South Asian footballer to play for Manchester United’s senior team.
He also became the first Iraqi player ever to represent the club and the first British South Asian player to feature in the Champions League.
The moment was widely celebrated because of its significance beyond football alone. Many supporters and observers viewed his breakthrough as an important milestone for representation within the sport, particularly for young British Asian footballers hoping to see players from similar backgrounds succeed at elite clubs.
Despite the excitement surrounding his debut, however, opportunities in Manchester United’s first team proved difficult to secure consistently.
Competition for places in midfield remained extremely intense, and Iqbal ultimately struggled to establish himself as a regular part of the senior squad.
In June 2023, he decided to leave Old Trafford in search of more regular playing time and joined Dutch side FC Utrecht on a four-year contract.
The move was seen as an important step in his development, allowing him to continue progressing in a competitive European league while gaining valuable first-team experience.
Now 23 years old, Iqbal has reflected on both his experiences at Manchester United and the lessons he learned during his time at the club.
Speaking in an interview with The Athletic, the midfielder discussed several memorable moments from his career, including training alongside Cristiano Ronaldo.
Iqbal recalled being selected to participate in set-piece training sessions with the first team, where he was tasked with marking Ronaldo.
He admitted it was a surreal experience seeing the Portuguese superstar up close after previously only watching him in video games and on television.
The midfielder explained that coaches jokingly warned him not to do anything reckless while marking Ronaldo during training. He also reflected humorously on how different it felt seeing the football icon in real life compared to his appearance in FIFA video games.
Beyond football itself, Iqbal also spoke about the importance of representation and his involvement in the Professional Footballers’ Association inclusion and mentoring programme for British Asians while he was still at Manchester United.
He explained that growing up, he did not have many footballers from similar cultural backgrounds to look up to. Because of that, he believes seeing players who share similar backgrounds, languages, cultures, and experiences can have a major impact on younger generations trying to believe they belong in elite football environments.
Iqbal described how much easier it becomes for young players to connect emotionally when they see someone who resembles them succeeding professionally.
He suggested that representation can inspire belief in ways that statistics or achievements alone often cannot.
Reflecting on his own breakthrough into Manchester United’s first team, Iqbal admitted the experience felt almost unreal at the time.
He explained that during his debut and the following pre-season period, everything seemed to flow naturally whenever he stepped onto the pitch.
According to the midfielder, he felt extremely confident during that period, consistently making good decisions, executing passes successfully, and expressing himself freely during matches and training sessions. He described the entire experience as a moment where everything simply felt right.
Looking ahead to the future, Iqbal made it clear that his ambition remains to compete at the highest possible level. While he remains open-minded regarding his career path, he emphasized that he still dreams of returning to top-level football and proving himself against elite opposition.
The midfielder also revealed that his immediate focus is now on international football with Iraq, particularly the upcoming World Cup campaign.
Iqbal stated that he wants to use the tournament as an opportunity to demonstrate that he can compete alongside some of the best players in world football.
He expressed confidence in his own abilities regardless of the level of opposition, insisting that he always backs himself whenever he steps onto the pitch.
Iqbal and the Iraqi national team are set to begin their World Cup campaign on Tuesday, June 16, when they face Norway in what is expected to become an important opening match for their tournament ambitions.
As he continues developing his career abroad, many supporters will remain interested to see whether the former Manchester United academy graduate can eventually achieve his dream of returning to the Premier League and fulfilling the potential many believed he possessed during his time at Old Trafford.
