Pakistan football captain Abdullah Iqbal has become the first active Pakistan international to feature in the UEFA Champions League.
The 23-year-old defender made his debut in Europe’s premier club competition after coming on as a 62nd-minute substitute for Swedish side Mjällby AIF in their Champions League second qualifying round first-leg match against Lincoln Red Imps on Tuesday.
Iqbal replaced Ludvig Svanberg as Mjällby, playing their first-ever European fixture, secured a 3-0 victory at Strandvallen. Áki Debes Samuelsen scored twice, while Jacob Bergström added the third goal.
Iqbal joined Mjällby from Danish club B.93 in August 2024 and has since captained the Pakistan national team. He also played a key role in helping Mjällby win their first-ever Allsvenskan title in 2025, earning the club a place in this season’s Champions League qualifiers.
While two other players of Pakistani origin have previously appeared in the UEFA Champions League, neither represented Pakistan at the international level, making Iqbal the first active Pakistan international to achieve the milestone.