Synopsis
The Iran national football team (Persian: ??? ??? ?????? ?????, T?m-e Melli-e F?tb?l-e ?r?n) is one of the most successful teams in Asia with three Asian Cups. Iran is ranked 32 in the FIFA World Rankings, as of November 2017.
CAPTION: Iran National Team SOURCE: World Cup Russia 2018 Guide The national squad represents Iran in international football competitions and is governed by the Iran Football Federation. The team made their first appearance in FIFA in 1978.
Professional player, Ali Daei is the top scorer with 109 goals and Javad Nekounam is the most capped player with 151 caps.
Carlos Queiroz, The Coach
The team is currently managed by the coach, Carlos Queiroz. He is the longest-serving coach in the Iran national team’s history, working for over seven years.
CAPTION: Carlos Queiroz SOURCE: Sky Sports Queiroz has qualified three national teams to the World Cup; South Africa in 2002, Portugal in 2010, and Iran in 2014 and 2018. He is the only coach in Iran’s history who has led the national team to two consecutive World Cups.
Achievements and Honors
Club
Sporting CP
- Taça de Portugal: 1994–95
- Supertaça Cândido de Oliveira: 1995
- Nagoya Grampus Eight
- Asian Cup Winners' Cup runners-up: 1996–97
Real Madrid
- Supercopa de España: 2003
International
Portugal
- FIFA World Youth Championship: 1989, 1991
- UEFA European Under-16 Championship: 1989
Sardar Azmoun, The Star
Iranian professional striker, Sardar Azmoun currently plays for Russian side Rubin Kazan and the Iran national team. He is the all-time fifth highest scorer of the national squad.
CAPTION: Sardar Azmoun SOURCE: Iran Sports Press Azmoun has been praised for his aerial ability, creativity, and bursts of acceleration and has also been called Iranian Messi by mainly British media.
Club
Sepahan
- Iran Pro League: 2011–12
Rostov
- Russian Premier League Runners-up: 2015–16
International
- Iran U-17
- West Asian Football Federation Championship: 2009
- Iran U-20
- AFF U-19 Youth Championship: 2012
Individual
- AFF U-19 Youth Championship top scorer: 2012
- Commonwealth of Independent States Cup top scorer: 2012
- Russian Premier League Team of the Season (1): 2014–15, 2015–16
- Russian Premier League Player of the Month (1): May 2016
- Rostov Player of the Season: 2015–16
Here's the list of Iran's 23-man squad for World Cup 2018, Russia.
| Goalkeepers | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards |
| Alireza Beyranvand (Persepolis), Rashid Mazaheri (Zob Ahan), Amir Abedzadeh (Maritimo) | Majid Hosseini (Esteghlal), Ramin Rezaeian (Ostende), Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh (Padideh), Morteza Pouraliganji (Alsaad), Pejman Montazeri (Esteghlal), Milad Mohammadi (Akhmat Grozny), Roozbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal), Ehsan Hajsafi (Olympiacos) | Saeid Ezatollahi (Amkar Perm), Masoud Shojaei (AEK Athens), Mehdi Torabi (Saipa), Omid Ebrahimi (Esteghlal), Karim Ansarifard (Olympiacos) | Alireza Jahanbakhsh (AZ Alkmaar), Mahdi Taremi (Al Gharafa), Sardar Azmoun (Rubin Kazan), Reza Ghoochannejhad (Heerenveen), Saman Ghoddos (Ostersunds), Ashkan Dejagah (Nottingham Forest), Vahid Amiri (Persepolis) |
World Cup 2018
Iran started their 2018 World Cup qualification campaign with friendly matches against Chile and Sweden in 2015.
Iran successfully secured their place in the FIFA World Cup after a 2-0 victory over Uzbekistan, becoming the second team to qualify for World Cup 2018.
Iran will be playing against Morocco in the group stage match on June 15, 2018, at Saint Petersburg Stadium. The team will also be facing against Spain and Portugal in the further matches.
