Manchester United’s Zidane Iqbal and Wycombe’s Ali Al-Hamadi have been called up to the Iraq squad for the World Cup qualifiers away in Iran and Lebanon.
Iqbal has previously captained and scored for the country’s U23s team and Iraqi football chiefs have been keen to secure the teenager’s services at full international level since last year.
Sky Sports News last week revealed Iraq were set to follow up on that by drafting the 18-year-old into their squad for their forthcoming World Cup qualifiers, with Iqbal joined by Wycombe forward Ali Al-Hamadi as the only other English-based player.
Former Tranmere and Swansea youngster Al-Hamadi, 19, won his first two international caps in November, starting Iraq’s World Cup qualifying matches against Syria and South Korea.
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Iqbal is born and bred in Manchester and is eligible to represent England, Iraq and Pakistan at international but has never been called up to attend an England age-group training camp.
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Iqbal was destined to achieve big things in the game, his first football coach Stewart Hamer told Sky Sports News
The teenager made history last month when he appeared in the Champions League game against Young Boys to become the first British South Asian to play for Manchester United. Iqbal came on in the closing stages of the Group F encounter, replacing England international Jesse Lingard as a late substitute.
He will now prepare for an international debut with a difference as he gets ready to represent Iraq away from home against a well-fancied Iran side at Tehran’s Azadi Stadium on Thursday.
