According to Mundo Deportivo, Iraqi midfielder Zidane Iqbal said that he looks up to Thiago Alcântara and Frenkie de Jong.

Iraqi player Zidane Iqbal, in response to a question from reporter Olajide, said: "My favorite player has always been Zidane, and that's because of my father. I often watched him play when I was a kid, and we share the same name."

However, the players who inspired him as he grew up came from Barcelona. Iqbal explained: "I used to watch Thiago play for Liverpool, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich. He is an excellent player, and I try to base my game on him. Now, De Jong is an incredible player. There are many great players, but I am myself, and I can do things in different ways. You can always try to imitate someone, but the best version is yourself."

The Iraqi midfielder added: "I try to base my game on De Jong, but I also try to add what I can do myself."

Zidane Iqbal has diverse idols and diverse heritage. He was born and raised in Manchester to a Pakistani father and an Iraqi mother. According to Al Jazeera reporter Abid Hussain, Iqbal not only helped Iraq return to the FIFA World Cup after 40 years but also became the first player of Pakistani descent to participate in the FIFA World Cup. Pakistan has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup.

Iqbal signed his first professional contract with Manchester United in 2021 at age 18 while still in the club's youth academy. That same year, he made his Champions League debut for Manchester United. In 2023, he joined FC Utrecht.

Now 23 years old, Iqbal possesses the magic that makes a football artist unique. He is a bright prospect in this Iraqi team's midfield, which still has many stories to tell. He plays beautifully and knows how to learn from elite midfielders. Iqbal is the "Iraqi Zidane" who idolizes Thiago Alcântara and Frenkie de Jong.

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