The Iraqi national team’s roster for the World Cup 2026 qualifying playoff match included midfielder Zidane Iqbal, despite his absence from official matches with his team Utrecht from the Netherlands in recent times, reflecting the coaching staff’s confidence in his technical abilities.
Iqbal is scheduled to head to the Mexican city of Monterrey on March 22, to be among the options for Australian coach Graham Arnold in the crucial match that will take place at dawn on April 1, where the Iraqi team will face the winner of the Bolivia vs. Suriname match.
The player has experienced a complicated period this season with his club Utrecht, where he had a dispute with team coach Rob Jans, who excluded him from his technical plans, preferring to offer him in the transfer market, due to a mismatch of roles on the field, as Iqbal prefers playing in a playmaker position rather than defensive roles.
The player’s struggles increased after suffering a knee injury during the winter transfer period, which required successful surgery, but kept him off the field for nearly two months, raising doubts about his readiness for the global playoff match.
Currently, Iqbal has started to gradually regain his readiness through participation with Utrecht’s reserve team, undergoing intensive training to reach the best physical and technical condition before joining the Iraqi national team.
The player maintains constant communication with the national team’s coaching staff led by Graham Arnold, who pays significant attention to monitoring him, ensuring his readiness before the anticipated match.
Zidane Iqbal enjoys clear confidence from the Australian coach, who decided to rely on him despite his limited appearances, due to his high technical abilities that make him capable of making a difference, especially in big matches, as seen in previous encounters with the national team.
Iqbal is expected to be one of the key players in the Iraqi team’s midfield during the playoff match, where the coaching staff relies on him to lead the offensive side and create opportunities, even if he participates for limited minutes, given his impact on the field.
The player is distinguished by several important technical elements, most notably passing accuracy, ability to play under pressure, in addition to his skill in shooting from outside the penalty area, providing the team with multiple solutions against a strong opponent in the global playoff.
During the current season, Zidane Iqbal played only five matches with Utrecht in the Dutch league, alongside participating in two matches in the European League competitions, before moving to the reserve team, where he participated in six more matches in his quest to regain his level.
