Iran hopes to advance to the spherical of 16 for the primary time regardless of some turmoil within the lead-up to the match.
Earlier World Cup appearances: 1978,1998, 2006, 2014, 2018
Titles: 0
Finest end: Group stage
World Cup document: W2, D4, L9
Objectives: 9
Greatest win: 2-1 vs USA (1998)
Key participant: Mehdi Taremi
Rating: 20
Fixtures: England (November 21), Wales (November 25), USA (November 29)
Iran’s nationwide soccer crew, Group Melli, faces robust matches on the World Cup. However regardless of a rocky few months off the pitch within the leadup, the gamers stay hopeful of constructing historical past on the match.
In Group B, Iran will face England, Wales and the US, all of whom are ranked larger than them.
At 20, Iran is the highest Asian crew within the FIFA rankings, above Japan and South Korea.
“I believe Iran and Japan are most definitely amongst Asian groups with the power to go the group stage of the World Cup,” Iran’s newly appointed head coach, the Portuguese Carlos Queiroz, advised Iranian media in October.
Probably the most high-profile Iranian participant is at the moment 30-year-old Mehdi Taremi, a ahead who performs for Portuguese membership Porto. Sardar Azmoun, a ahead who performs for Germany’s Bayer Leverkusen, is one other key participant. Azmoun was injured whereas taking part in for Leverkusen in early October, however docs say they’re optimistic he’ll get well by the point Iran takes to the pitch in Qatar.
The Iranian crew will make historical past if it advances from the group stage, a feat it has by no means managed regardless of coming shut a number of instances.
Additionally coached by Queiroz in 2018, Group Melli narrowly misplaced to Spain and Portugal.
For this World Cup, issues would possibly look barely higher for Iran who topped the qualifying group with 25 factors and a aim distinction of +11.
The crew was then coached by Croatian Dragan Skočić, who registered vital information regardless of being on the helm for less than about two-and-a-half years. He spent most of that point unable to teach because of the unfold of the coronavirus.
Skočić received 15 of his 18 video games as head coach. In that interval, Iran scored 40 objectives and conceded solely eight, achieved their fastest-ever qualification to the World Cup, and the coach secured the longest successful streak amongst all head coaches within the historical past of Group Melli.
However disagreements with a number of gamers, together with star striker Taremi, along with points with federation officers, meant that Skočić’s time at Group Melli was ultimately reduce brief when he was sacked in early July.
After controversial elections on the soccer federation, the brand new soccer chief Mehdi Taj – who has confronted criticism within the Iranian media over alleged monetary corruption – selected to deliver again Queiroz.