Zidane Iqbal reveals reason for altercation with Kuwait players

Zidane Iqbal, a player for the Iraq national team, caused a confrontation between players from Iraq and Kuwait after the match that saw the two teams face off, ending with the Lions of Mesopotamia winning 3-2 in the second round of the Gulf Cup, Gulf 27, in Saudi Arabia.

With their victory over Kuwait, Iraq has secured second place in Group A with 4 points, trailing the leaders Saudi Arabia who have 6 points. Meanwhile, Oman remains in third place with just 1 point, and Kuwait sits at the bottom of the group without any points.

Zidane Iqbal, aged 23, contributed to Iraq's victory over Kuwait by scoring his country's first goal in the 52nd minute and continued to play until the 75th minute before being substituted by Ahmed Yahya after delivering an impressive performance during the match.

After scoring, Zidane Iqbal turned towards the stands and put his hand to his ear, indicating that he could not hear the crowd, in response to the criticisms he faced from the fans and players of the Kuwait national team before and during the match.

After the match, a confrontation occurred between Zidane Iqbal and the Kuwaiti players before Aymen Hussein and several Iraqi players intervened to resolve the issue in a scene that had previously repeated between Iqbal and the Kuwaiti players during the match between the two national teams in the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers in Basra.

Zidane Iqbal stated in media comments after the match that Kuwaiti players have a problem with him because of his Pakistani roots. He mentioned that he spoke after the game with the captain of the Kuwait national team, Yousef Nasser, saying, 'I have no problem with you, but some players in your team have a problem with me because my father is Pakistani and my mother is Iraqi, and I don't know what the reason is for their discomfort with that.'

He added that he is a Pakistani-Iraqi and is not afraid or ashamed of that. If you say this, be sure that you will win because I will celebrate if I score, even if the goal is in the 98th minute, and I will not act as if I did not score. I do not know if those celebrations have provoked them, but honestly, I am tired of talking about this topic after every match against Kuwait, and I love facing them.

In this context, Iraq striker Aymen Hussein stated that the match scenario was beautiful and the encounter was enjoyable, emphasizing that the important thing is that they secured three points. He noted that some players are playing their first or second international match, yet they delivered a great performance, and he believes they should be commended for their outstanding levels. He expressed anticipation for more from them in upcoming matches.

Iraq's national team is struggling with focus at times, as seen in the penalty incident and Kuwait's second goal. Regarding Zidane Iqbal's issue with the Kuwaiti players, it is natural due to the sensitive atmosphere of the match and the excitement it generated. We are friends and neighbors with Kuwait, and we must turn the page while holding them in high regard. After the match, Aymen Hussein mediated a reconciliation between Zidane Iqbal and Kuwaiti player Yousef Nasser following the altercation that occurred after a thrilling encounter that saw five goals scored.