Year: 2022

17/11/202217/11/2022

Tunisia defeats Iran in a practice unofficial game.

Tunisia defeated Iran 2-0 in Doha in the final preparations games for both teams before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. The first half ended goalless while in the second half, Tunisia was awarded a penalty after Abolfazl Jalali was judged to handle the ball. Naim Al Slaiti scored the spot kick in the 62nd minute. Ali AlAyed scored seven minutes later.

The match saw wholesome substitutions which exceeded the FIFA International matches guidelines

As reported by the Iranian press, evidently in accurately, 22 players took part in the match. It mentions that Beiranvand only played 60 minutes but there was no mention of the substituted goalkeeper in the list.
Players’ jersey numbers and the minutes played are as follows:

1- Alireza Beiranvand 60
2- Mehdi Torabi 45;
3- Hossein Kananizadegan; 45
4- Abolfazl Jalali; 30 (75 minute dismissal)
5- Morteza Pouraliganji; 45
6- Seyed Majid Hosseini; 45
7-Vahid Amiri; 45
9- Karim Ansarifard; 45
10- Mehdi Tarimi; 45
11- Alireza Jahanbakhsh; 45
13- Rozbeh Cheshmi; 45
14- Ahmad Noorolahi; 45
15- Ehsan Haj Safi; 45
16- Ali Gholizadeh; 45
17- Sadegh Moharrami; 45
18- Saman Ghoddos; 45
19- Saeed Ezzatollahi; 45
20- Milad Mohammadi; 45
21- Ali Karimi; 45
23- Shoja Khalilzadeh; 45
25- Ramin Rezaian; 45
30- Seyed Hossein Hosseini; 30

Tunisia Starting Lineup

Ayman Dahman, Muntasir al-Talibi, Nader al-Ghandari, Yassin Miriah, Muhammad Darajer, Ali al-Abedi, Elias al-Sakhiri, Issa al-Aydouni, Hannibal al-Majbri, Youssef al-Masakni and Wahbi al-Khazri.

However, the Tunisian coach changed the whole team in the second half.

16/11/2022

Saman Ghoddos on Iran, the World Cup and ‘playing for the people’

Miguel Delaney – The Independent

Saman Ghoddos visibly considers his words, but he has clearly thought about what he is going to say. The Brentford forward does not want to stay silent on an issue of such importance. The stakes for Ghoddos, however, are much greater than just offering a statement on Qatar’s issues in the way most other World Cup players might.

“Everybody wants to see a change,” Ghoddos says. “It’s a change that is very easy. What the people want is nothing special. It’s just freedom and I don’t want to say ‘Yeah, go fight for it’ because I don’t think violence is the right way. But something has to change and this has been going on for too long.”

If the words seem simple, they come from a hugely difficult situation, not least because of the intense focus on this Iranian team. Speaking out could bring significant repercussions, given the government have just issued the first death sentence over demonstrations. There’s also the fact that Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s state are seeking to politically use the World Cup to present an image of normality.

Ghoddos nevertheless feels that players “of course” have some responsibility. He says the squad had been messaging about it “almost every day” before they met up this week.

“No one is happy about it,” Ghoddos says. “I don’t want to mix politics with football but football is coming to the side right now because people are losing their lives fighting for freedom… clearly a change needs to come, and it has already been going on for so long. We all want change.

“If you think it’s the right thing to do, I think you should because you’re a famous athlete. If you can put a light on what’s going on you should do it – with pressure or without pressure because it’s the right thing to do.”

It almost feels wrong to be discussing football in that context. It is why England’s opening game is one of the most politicized fixtures of this highly politicized World Cup. The United Kingdom’s fractious history with Iran feeds into the political strife, the state’s regional alliance with the controversial nation, and the recent claims that Khamenei’s regime is supplying drones to Russia in the Ukrainian war.

All of that has led to multiple calls that the team be thrown out of the World Cup. Ghoddos is diplomatic and nuanced on that, even though this is his dream.

“I’ve been reading about it and people have been asking my opinion about it. I understand what they are talking about and where they are coming from. But I don’t know if it’s the right decision to kick us out. I don’t know if it’s the right move for me. I don’t know if anything will change because of that. It’s better to change what the real problem is, not to kick the football side out of the World Cup. That’s my opinion.

“Everybody can see what’s going on, it’s not so pleasant, and if we can put a light on what’s happening and if we can make a change in that way, that would be a good thing.”

There’s also a notable comment later on, when Ghoddos talks of how they “play for people in Iran” – not the state. This is where the debates on these topics become so complicated, going right back to Argentina 1978 and even Russia 2018, because the population’s football culture will always be distinct from ruling powers.

Ghoddos does admittedly come from this with a different perspective than many of his teammates. He grew up in Sweden after his parents migrated, and was initially a Swedish international with two caps and a goal. Ghoddos hadn’t even visited Iran until he made the switch in 2017. That never meant he felt any less Iranian, though. He couldn’t.

“We spoke Iranian and had this culture in my home. I was never able to go because, every time my parents were flying there, I had an important football game or something like this.

“There are so many Iranians in Sweden and in the city I was born in, Malmo.”

That naturally means he has memories of his country’s previous appearances in World Cups, not least the emotional impact of another of the most politicized fixtures.

“I was five years old in 1998 but I remember the celebration against the USA,” he says of Iran’s historic 2-1 win. “We always taped the World Cup and watched it every time after school.”

Iran famously beat the United States in 1998 (Getty Images)© Provided by The Independent

Playing through the Swedish football system meant it was natural to accept a call-up when asked for two friendlies, as tends to be the case for many of dual nationality. If Ghoddos didn’t exactly experience any internal debate about his choice, it was Iran manager Carlos Quieroz who offered some certainty.

“I was in the squad and for me it was a big honour but then I didn’t hear anything from Sweden. I didn’t think I was going to start. Then I got a call from Carlos Queiroz wondering if I would like to play for Iran. I never thought about it and I said ‘yeah of course’. He said he would invite me to a camp but he won’t play me because he doesn’t want to put pressure on me, and then I’m stuck to Iran.

“So he said ‘I will invite you, you train with us, and then for the next camp you can choose by yourself. For me, that was like ‘this is amazing. I’d heard about these players who get one minute [for one country] and then they’re stuck, then they can’t change, and I really appreciated the way he did it. Then Sweden wanted me to play. For me, it felt like it’s a bit too late now… so I said I want to play for Iran. I made my decision.”

His parents only ever encouraged Ghoddos to do what felt right, as they would be proud regardless, but his decision felt perfect when he experienced the response of his extended family.

“They’re just so happy every time I go with the national team and to be able to play and have their last name on my back. That’s a proud moment for them and that makes me happy.

“I never thought the people were so into football in Iran, and the kindness they have. It was very big for me.”

It felt even better when he was picked for the 2018 World Cup.

“That was the biggest thing I’d done in my life. I was like ‘I need to do this again.’ The atmosphere was something else. You just feel the energy. Now we’re there, it’s a very special moment for me. I’m very proud. I’ll try to make the best of it.

“I’m trying to get my family to come and watch but flights and hotels are very difficult. We have some rooms we can give them and the flight tickets from me. I’m trying to get them as much as possible because the World Cup is every four years and you need to be there. My family wasn’t in Russia but my friends came and they will talk about it their whole life so I’m trying to get my family, as many as possible, to come and watch.”

It reminds of the other side of the political use of football, which is the people’s enjoyment of it. It is all the more reason that Ghoddos feels an obligation – as well as an optimism. He firmly believes Iran can get out of the group for the first time.

“I rate it very high. If I’m looking at the squad for the other World Cups, I think this is the best Iran has ever had. The players we have right now, Mehdi Taremi doing well with Porto in Champions league level, same with Sardar Azmoun at Bayer Leverkusen. OK, maybe before with Ali Daei, Ali Karimi, these were exceptional players but it wasn’t so many. Now it feels like there are more of us, it’s more like a team spirit we have. It’s the same like with Brentford. We are really together and I think, with that, you can go through even if you are not as good a team on paper.

“Of course we are underdogs against England. That’s nothing to hide. I would rather fight from the underdog position and try to achieve something from there.”

Ghoddos played at the 2018 tournament (Getty Images)© Provided by The Independent

The manager, Queiroz, is well versed in that. His football isn’t always enjoyable, but it is effective. The Portuguese made Iran a hugely difficult team to play against in the last two World Cups, bringing both Spain and Portugal to the brink of elimination in 2018 – as Quieroz’s team finished on four points to their five apiece – and forcing Argentina into a stoppage-time long-range winner from Lionel Messi in 2014. Monday is unlikely to be all that enjoyable for England.

Iran are going to be very well drilled. Queiroz has been sending the players videos of what he wants for weeks.

“You know when you’re coming in what you have to do,” Ghoddos says. “It’s very tactical and the message he is sending is very clear. Everybody knows their job, and he’s trying to put it in your spine. Like, if the ball is here, you have to do this – and it’s every day.”

That tactical application will be reinforced by an emotional intensity. The Iranian squad don’t actually play national music in the dressing room, because it’s “more beautiful music”, as Ghoddos puts it. They want to be pumped.

“Right now it’s the Stormzy song, Mel Made Me Do It,” Ghoddos laughs.

“But it’s very important to make sure the energy does not get to you because when you have too much it can affect your game. As long as you can see it as a normal game, of course, you need the energy to get to a new level and we’ll need that but it will be so special because if, you play for people in Iran, the energy and level we have will help us.”

Those last few words are among the most significant of all. Ghoddos sees himself as playing for the people – and he’s been courageous in speaking for them.

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16/11/2022

Team Melli flies to Doha after finalizing the squad.

Carlos Queiroz announced Team Melli’s squad for the FIFA World Cup 2022 with predictable familiar names but with a bit of a small twist. The team flew to Doha to start preparation which includes a friendly game behind closed doors against Tunisia in Doha on 16th Nov.

A couple of additions to the squad that was not in the normal Queiroz favorites list are Ali Karimi and Abolfazl Jalali. These two additions plus the surprise omission of Omid Noorafkan, are generating a few interesting discussions amongst the faithful Team Melli fans.

By selecting these players, Iran’s team is officially the oldest team in the FIFA World Cup 2022.

Confirmed squad

Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis), Amir Abedzadeh (Ponferradina), Seyed Hossein Hosseini (Esteghlal), Payam Niazmand (Sepahan)

Defenders: Ehsan Hajsafi (AEK Athens), Morteza Pouraliganji (Persepolis), Ramin Rezaeian (Sepahan), Milad Mohammadi (AEK Athens), Hossein Kanaanizadegan (Al Ahli), Shojae Khalilzadeh (Al Ahli), Sadegh Moharrami (Dinamo Zagreb), Rouzbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal), Majid Hosseini (Kayserispor), Abolfazl Jalali (Esteghlal)

Midfielders: Ahmad Noorollahi (Shabab Al Ahli), Saman Ghoddos (Brentford), Vahid Amiri (Persepolis), Saeid Ezatolahi (Vejle), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Feyenoord), Mehdi Torabi (Persepolis), Ali Gholizadeh (Charleroi), Ali Karimi (Kayserispor)

Forwards: Karim Ansarifard (Omonia Nicosia), Sardar Azmoun (Bayer Leverkusen), Mehdi Taremi (Porto)

10/11/2022

England World Cup 2022 squad announced

GARETH SOUTHGATE has named his 26-man squad for England’s World Cup campaign with Conor Gallagher and Callum Wilson the shock picks.

The Three Lions manager has whittled down his 55-man provisional list to the special 26.

After announcing his selections, Southgate said: “We’re excited by the group. We think there’s a lot of talent within it.

“But the group has to come together. We’ve got to adapt better than anybody else in the coming period.”

Harry Kane will once again spearhead Southgate’s troops, looking to win his first competition.

The Spurs man was the top scorer at the 2018 World Cup in Russia.

Jordan Pickford has never let anyone down for England, and he will be given the gloves in Qatar. The much-maligned Harry Maguire might not have found much form for Manchester United this season, but he is one of Southgate’s favorites in the squad.

James Maddison’s inclusion is arguably the biggest talking point. He appears to have finally won over Southgate after his stunning form for Leicester dragged them off the bottom of the Premier League.

Iran is the first of England’s opponents on 21st Nov 2022.

10/11/2022

Team Melli defeats Nicaragua in Azadi.

Iran’s last home game before the FIFA World Cup ended up in a mundane 1-0 win for Team Melli. Torabi scored the only goal in the First half.

Nicaragua, ranked 120 steps below Iran, managed to limit World Cup-bound Team Melli to two shots on target in the entire 90 minutes +, one of which ended up in a goal.

Behind the closed door and playing with mostly domestic league players, there was little to be gained from the World Cup preparations perspective, except for perhaps some last-chance look by Queiroz and his coaching staff on which domestic league players will make it on the plane to Doha

Playing weaker teams, however, had always been a risk and that proved true this time against Nicaragua. Omid Ebrahimi, one of the veterans of the team and almost certain to be included in the World Cup squad, left the field of play after only a minute or two from being substituted in, falling a victim to a clumsy challenge by the Nicaraguan player. He was treated on the field but then left on a stretcher. His conditions looked serious enough for him, to miss the World Cup.

The goal scored by Mehdi Torabi in the 15th minute was perhaps the only decent move by Team Melli in the entire match. Noorafkan gifted an accurate pass to Torabi who beautifully controlled the ball while neatly wrong-footing his marker, before slotting powerfully into the Nicaraguan goal.

The rest of the match was concentrated mostly in the middle of the field. Surprisingly, the Nicaraguan players seemed to be the more energetic of the two sets of players. Coming from tropical weather to Tehran, all of them protected themselves against the cold temperature by wearing gloves. However, they were more energetic than Team Melli players despite their long trip. The guests were not shying from any tackles and challenged every ball, sometimes too roughly, and gave the host a run for their money.

On a positive note, Queiroz introduced 3 new young players by giving debuts to Aria Brazegar, Mehdi Hashemipor, and Ali Sadeghi. Barzegar who was on the starting lineup had a truly dreadful debut as he could not pass or shoot any decent ball. The others substituted in, however, showed some nice touches and enough confidence even daring to try long-range shots.

Team Melli meets Tunisia next. A much more serious challenge. However, the whole squad will be available by then.

10/11/202210/11/2022

Iran meets Nicaragua in a friendly international.

Team Melli will meet Nicaragua in Azadi this evening at 19:30 behind closed doors in the first of the last two matches before the FIFA World Cup.

Under Queiroz, Team Melli has been training full-time in an effort to maximize the utilization of the time before the start of the FIFA World Cup. The camp’s objective was to allow the coaching team to recognize the players’ shortcomings and readiness. The training camp was restricted to the domestic league players, except for the periodic appearance of Khalizadeh, Kananizadeghan, and Ebrahimi from Qatar Star League which has taken an early break until after the World Cup. The rest of the Team Melli players who are in Europe were absent.

The whole training camp has been under the shadow of the recent widespread protests across the country following the death of Mahsa Amini in the custody of the moral police. Since a few Iranian players have dared to speak up against the regime recently and the silent protests of many players in all forms and shapes, including not celebrating goals in matches, the FFIRI, AKA the regime, has put a strict virtual barrier around the camp. Players and officials are not allowed to speak to the press unless prior permission is obtained from the security or Herasat. Queiroz is an exception, however, he has been fully briefed on what he is allowed to utter and must follow the party guidelines.

It is not known how much this Political turmoil had an effect on the players’ morale. In any case, Team Melli should not have much of a problem facing Nicaragua even with the second-string lineup.

The opponent for the day, Nicaragua is one of the weaker teams in CONCACAF. Coached by Marco Antonio Figueroa the central American team is playing the match against Iran after 3 consecutive defeats against Surinam, Ghana, and Qatar. The Nicaraguan national team is ranked 142 in the FIFA ranking and currently has no member of the team playing in Europe., A few of them play in neighboring countries’ leagues.

Nicaragua achieved its first qualification to a major international competition in 2009, as they qualified for the 2009 Gold Cup as the last entrant from Central America, after a 2–0 win over Guatemala in the fifth-place match in the 2009 Nations Cup.^[However, the team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup.

Due to American influence throughout the country’s history, baseball has more of a following as both a pursuit and spectator event in Nicaragua than football.

Iran’s last friendly match will be against Tunisia in Doha.

08/11/2022

Saeed Ahmad Abbasi lands in Spain to join Viña Albali Valdepeñas

Saeed Ahmad Abbasi, the Iran national futsal team player, finally left for Spain yesterday after three months of negotiations with Viña Albali Valdepeñas club and signing a contract with this Spanish league team.

Ahmad Abbas, who left Tehran on Monday morning for Spain, finally arrived in Madrid after nearly 12 hours of flight. David Ramos, the head coach of the Wine Albali team, personally greeted and welcomed Ahmad Abbasi at the airport too. Saeed left the airport with his head coach and traveled from Madrid to Valdepeñas in Ramos’s car. The city to which the Vinalbali team belongs and the passionate fans of this club are famous in Spain.

استقبال ویژه از بازیکن ایران در اسپانیا و برگزاری مراسم معارفه — **عکس یادگاری احمدعباسی و سرمربی آلبالی در اسپانیا**

After a photo session and a short rest, the player participated in the training yesterday evening and was introduced to other players. Ahmad Abbasi continued to train with this team to prepare for Friday’s crucial game against Palma. The opposing team has Hossein Tayyebi and Moslim Oladaghbad, two of Ahmad Abbasi teammates in the Iranian national team. FS Viña Albali club website wrote commented on Ahmad Abbasi’s presence in this team: “This Iranian player has started preparing to speed up his acclimatization and coordination and can help the team from the very first moment.”

Ahmad Abbasi expressed his excitement and joy on his arrival in Valdepeñas. In turn, they welcome him from Viña Albali and wish him the best of luck in this exciting phase, which starts on Monday.

08/11/2022

Unsold tickets send to Iran creates a mini controversy!

A number of unsold quota tickets for Qatar residents have been donated to Iran.

Those gifted unsold tickets have created quite a bit of argument and debate among the Iranians. The Deputy Minister of Sports emphasizes that 90% of these tickets have been given to sports historians and non-football athletes. According to ISNA, filling the World Cup stadiums in the small country of Qatar is one of the challenges of the organizing committee in is period of the World Cup, and that is, in some matches, the residents of the host country may not be interested in buying tickets for that game. In this regard, Qatar recently donated a number of tickets from the quota of its residents in the group stage of the World Cup to Iran.

The tickets, according to some comments, have raised suspicions that it might end up sending Iranian Islamic clerics to Qatar to do cultural (missionary) work, a matter that the cultural deputy minister of sports denies. In an interview with ISNA, Sina Kalhor, the vice-president of culture and public sports of the Ministry of Sports and Youth, said: “Regarding the tickets donation package from the Qatari side, several points should be taken into consideration. First of all, these tickets are for the residents of Qatar and they were given to Iran because those tickets were unsold locally. The exact number of these tickets is 1800.”

He continued: “Unlike the tickets that the football federation has, these tickets cannot be sold in the market and are mainly for the third row of sports stadiums. However, there is a possibility that the Qatari side will declare all these 1,800 tickets invalid at the last moment. Emphasizing that there is only one cleric among the names announced for these tickets to the Qatari side,” Kalhor added: “There is a cleric on the list sent to the Qatari side, and that is the Director General of Culture of the Ministry of Sports and Youth. Almost 90% of these tickets have been distributed among football historians, journalists, and non-football athletes. Another 10 percent has been provided to the Ministry of Cultural & Heritage and the Ministry of Guidance for cultural activities. The Deputy Minister of Sports and Youth continued: “The management of seminaries have also announced in an official letter that they will not send any clerics to Qatar and have no plans for the World Cup in Qatar.”

08/11/2022

World Cup 2022 team previews: United States, England, Iran, Wales

ESPN

Iran

Manager: Carlos Queiroz
Nickname: Team Melli
FIFA Rank: 20

How they qualified

Having made their World Cup debut in 1978, Iran return for the sixth time, and a third in a row, having exited at the group stage at each of the previous attempts. An 18-match AFC qualification journey that started all the way back in September 2019 saw Iran win 14 matches, draw once and lose just three times on route to Qatar. An early hiccup in the form of back-to-back defeats to Bahrain and Iraq proved insignificant as Team Melli topped their group in the second round. In the decisive third round, they were as clinical as ever, winning eight of their 10 matches to book their place at the World Cup with three games to spare, finishing ahead of South Korea and the United Arab Emirates.

Style of play

The reappointment of Carlos Queiroz as head coach at the start of September signaled a return to the familiar for Iran. The Portuguese coach had led them for eight years between 2011 and 2019, including at the two previous World Cups. Under the former Real Madrid boss, Team Melli plays a 4-3-3 system relying on compact defense and a hardworking midfield, while the attacking burden is largely left for their target man flanked by two out-and-out wingers. Taremi and Azmoun, who played successfully in most matches under Skocic, will not be featured in the same match as Queiroz prefers a single forward lineup.

Biggest strength

Iran’s approach under Queiroz has always been defined by an exceptional defensive solidity. The side did not concede a single goal in their first five games at the AFC Asian Cup 2019, and their record in international tournaments under the Portuguese coach includes an impressive 10 clean sheets in 16 games. In Russia 2018, they conceded only twice in a group that featured the past two European champions at the time: Spain and Portugal. Expect more of the same in Qatar. Iran will make it difficult for the likes of Pulisic, Kane, and Bale to find a way through.

Biggest weakness

Key to Queiroz’s “defense-first” method is to remain focused for the full 90 minutes under opposition pressure and, while his players are adept at the tactical and physical aspects of the game, it can be the mental side that lets them down. In 2014, they earned a 0-0 draw against Nigeria and lost to Argentina only thanks to a last-minute Lionel Messi wondergoal, but then capitulated in a 3-1 defeat to Bosnia & Herzegovina. Their five-game clean sheet run in the AFC Asian Cup 2019 came to an end in a spectacular 3-0 collapse against Japan, while in Russia 2018, they failed to stay composed to take any of their chances against Portugal, which could have sent them through to the round of 16. As a team, Iran does not have the mental strength and agility of the Europeans. Psychological issues stemming from events back home could play a part in the team’s performance,

Star player: Mehdi Taremi

Any of Iran’s front three could lay a claim to being the side’s talisman. For the best part of seven years, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Sardar Azmoun, and Mehdi Taremi formed an undroppable trio for Team Melli, but it is the latter who has reached new heights in recent years. With 18 goal contributions in 16 matches across all competitions this season so far, Taremi has been in impressive form for Portuguese giants FC Porto, where he had already netted 20+ goals in each of the past three seasons. Azmoun will probably make it to Doha after a tough recovery from injury, however, Taremi will be the main man up front.

Projected starting XI

(4-3-3): Beiranvand; Moharrami, Kanaani, Hosseini, Hajsafi; Ezatolahi, Amiri, Ansarifard; Jahanbakhsh, Taremi, Azmoun.

What the stats say

– Best World Cup finish Group stage (all five times).

Prediction

In 2014, Iran picked up just one point from their group. Four years later, that tally was up to four points despite a more difficult draw. With years of experience under their belts and a coach who knows the ins and outs of this team, it might finally be time for Iran to reach the round of 16 at the sixth time of asking.

United States

Manager: Gregg Berhalter
Nickname: The Stars and Stripes
FIFA Rank: 16

How they qualified

The U.S. were fairly well positioned throughout the eight-team final round in CONCACAF World Cup qualifying, but the failure to reach the 2018 event hung on the team like a weighted vest. Every stumble brought back nightmarish memories of the night in Trinidad when the U.S. squandered qualification. The Americans also seemed to lack a killer instinct on the road to get results that would have eased the path to Qatar.

But ultimately, the U.S. got the job done. A road win in Honduras that concluded the first qualifying window settled nerves. Consecutive home wins over Costa Rica and Mexico created some momentum. There was still work to be done heading into the last trio of games, but a priceless road draw against El Tri and a 5-1 rout of Panama effectively clinched qualification.

Style of play

Early in his tenure, manager Gregg Berhalter had the U.S. playing out of the back almost to a fault. But the dogmatic approach eventually morphed into something more pragmatic, with the U.S. aiming to press the opposition and create chances that way. Berhalter also aimed to get full-backs Antonee Robinson and Sergino Dest into the attack and utilize the likes of Christian Pulisic, Brenden Aaronson and Tim Weah on the flanks.

Biggest strength

The U.S. enjoy significant attacking depth on the wings. Beyond Pulisic, Aaronson and Weah, there’s also Giovanni Reyna. All four players are skillful on the ball in their own ways. Aaronson is all energy, and his ability to initiate the press often kickstarts the U.S. attack. Weah’s pace gives the American side a different element, and Reyna — when healthy — has the kind of close control and vision that can torment defences. Pulisic’s dynamism is vital as well (more on him later.)

Biggest weakness

Both the striker position and the center-backs are causes for worry. No center-forward has really made the position their own, with Jesus Ferreira, Josh Sargent, Jordan Pefok and Ricardo Pepi all being given ample opportunity. Just four of the U.S. team’s 20 goals in 14 qualifying matches came from a center-forward. All four have been finding the net of late for their clubs, but the extent to which that translates to a World Cup is a massive unknown.

The center-back slot was once a strength for the Americans. Walker Zimmerman was solid throughout qualifying. But this area of the field has been hit hard by injuries. Miles Robinson suffered a torn Achilles back in May and will miss the World Cup. Chris Richards has been slow to recover from a hamstring injury. John Brooks has long been out of favor, despite his experience. That leaves one of Aaron Long, Cameron Carter-Vickers and Mark McKenzie to duke it out if Richards can’t recover. Given the way the U.S. struggled to play through Japan’s press in a recent friendly, this position is a huge area of concern.

Star player: Christian Pulisic

Pulisic is still the main man when it comes to the U.S. attack, with his ability to run at defenses, score goals and set up chances all critical elements. His ability to win free kicks — he was by far the most fouled U.S. player during qualifying with 26 fouls suffered, despite missing four games — is another important asset in a tournament where games are often decided by set pieces.

But is Pulisic up to the task of carrying the load? It’s a responsibility that has, at least outwardly, weighed heavy. The U.S. certainly have more talent playing beside him in Aaronson, Weah and Reyna than there has been in the past. But if the U.S. are to make to the group stage, Pulisic will need to be at his best.

Projected starting XI

(4-3-3) Steffen; Dest, Zimmerman, Richards, Robinson; McKennie, Adams, Musah; Weah, Ferreira, Pulisic.

What the stats say

– Best World Cup finish: Semifinals (1930)

– The U.S. are the youngest team to qualify to this World Cup, by average age of players used in qualifying.

Prediction: Group B is deceptively difficult. At No. 21 in the FIFA rankings, Iran are the worst-ranked team. And while those rankings have to be taken with some skepticism, every other group has a team ranked at least 30th or worse. For that reason, the U.S. team’s odds are 50-50 in terms of advancement. Based on recent form, their odds don’t look to be improving. Health will be a huge factor, but at this stage, it looks like the U.S. will fall just short. — Jeff Carlisle

England

Manager: Gareth Southgate
Nickname: The Three Lions
FIFA Rank: 5

How they qualified

England were unbeaten in qualification and scored more goals (39) than any other team in Europe. However, 24 of those were against minnows San Marino and Andorra, suggesting the team’s potency was perhaps slightly inflated. They needed a late Harry Maguire goal to see off Poland 2-1 at Wembley in their first meaningful test in March 2021. Gareth Southgate’s side recovered quickly from their Euro 2020 final disappointment by beating Hungary 4-0 at the Puskas Arena last September, but a 1-1 draw in Poland later that month and the same scoreline at home to Hungary in October raised more questions than answers. Two facile wins against Albania and San Marino in November ensured England ended their campaign on a high, but the Nations League campaign that followed is a different matter entirely (more of that later).

Style of play

Pragmatic. One of the widespread criticisms of Southgate is that England should be more expansive given the attacking talent they have at their disposal. However, he is more calculated as a result of concerns over England’s habitual struggle to retain possession in tournaments and a lack of top-class center-back options. England can switch between systems and they may play with a back four at some point in Qatar, but the recent Nations League matches strongly suggest 3-4-3 is his preferred formation.

Biggest strength

The sheer number of attacking options. Although Harry Kane is clearly England’s first-choice center-forward, Southgate has an embarrassment of attacking riches to call on with Raheem Sterling, Phil Foden, Bukayo Saka, Jack Grealish, and Mason Mount among those vying for two attacking positions on either side. And that’s not to mention Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho, and James Maddison, who all might not make the squad at all. England have an exciting and dynamic blend of forwards, many of whom will be more acclimatized to the demands of tournament football after last year’s run to the delayed Euro 2020 finals. The emergence of Jude Bellingham is also an exciting prospect to inject some flair into England’s central midfield. If it all clicks, England could be very good.

Biggest weakness

There are a few concerns, but the biggest is at the center-back. Maguire’s form has fallen off a cliff at Manchester United yet Southgate continues to select him on past performances for England. That is both a reflection of his importance in 2018 and 2021 but also the lack of top-class options at center-back. England, still, do not keep the ball well enough in major finals. The pattern of the matches against Croatia (semifinal in 2018) and Italy (final, 2020) was markedly similar in that England started well before giving the ball away too often, conceding control of the game to their opponents. Bellingham is England’s big hope there. Injuries have also mounted in recent weeks with Kyle Walker, Reece James, and Kalvin Phillips all major doubts for the finals while form in general is a problem: England have not won for six matches, and although there were mitigating factors, they were relegated from the Nations League as they failed to win any of six matches against Italy, Germany, and Hungary.

Star player: Harry Kane

Harry Kane on making history ahead of the EURO 2020 final | UEFA EURO | UEFA.com

Kane won the Golden Boot at the last World Cup and will likely target the same outcome in Qatar. The 29-year-old is two goals short of equalling Wayne Rooney’s England record of 53, but he hasn’t netted from open play since November 2021, when scoring four against San Marino. He remains England’s talisman, however, and any injury or loss of form would be a major blow given he is Southgate’s best center-forward option by such a big margin. The Tottenham striker will also attract attention of a different kind as one of several captains to wear a “OneLove” armband during matches — even if it is prohibited by FIFA — as part of an anti-discrimination initiative.

Projected starting XI

(3-4-3): Pickford, Walker, Stones, Maguire; Trippier, Bellingham, Rice, Shaw; Foden, Kane, Sterling.

What the stats say

– Best World Cup finish: Champion (1966)

– England enter the tournament on a poor run of form, as they were winless in the 2022 UEFA Nations League (0-3-3.)

Prediction

England will expect to get out of Group B, but the draw quickly gets tricky. A last-16 tie — most likely against either the Netherlands or Senegal — looks tough before a possible quarterfinal against France or Argentina. England simply have not defended well enough, often enough, for anybody to have a high degree of confidence they could win back-to-back matches against elite opposition. If they benefitted from more inviting knockout draws in 2018 and 2021, the same cannot be said this time. — James Olley

Wales

Manager: Robert Page
Nickname: The Dragons
FIFA Rank: 19

How they qualified

Wales reached their first World Cup since 1958 after a dramatic and emotional playoff against Ukraine. By their own admission, Wales had the will of the world against them in September given the war in Ukraine, but a Gareth Bale free kick was enough to snatch a 1-0 win and a place in Qatar. Prior to that, Wales finished second in a group containing Belgium (winners) and the Czech Republic (third), winning four of their eight matches and losing only once (to Belgium in March 2021). Head coach Robert Page was rewarded for qualification with a new four-year contract in September.

Style of play

Counter-attacking. Wales averaged 45.1% possession in their World Cup qualification group and that figure dropped to 40.9% in their six UEFA Nations League games against Poland, Netherlands, and Belgium (five of which they lost). Wayne Hennessey is a fine goalkeeper, and Wales will try to stay defensively compact before hitting teams on the break through the pace of Dan James, the guile of Aaron Ramsey, and the star quality of Bale.

Biggest strength

Team spirit. This is not intended to be patronizing, especially given Wales possesses several talented individuals including most obviously Bale and Ramsey, but this is a team whose recent history has proved time and again they can become more than the sum of their parts. Reaching the semifinals of Euro 2016 was a truly remarkable feat, subsequently backing up their presence on the biggest stages by qualifying for Euro 2020 and now a first World Cup in 64 years. The presence of old rivals England in Group B will only multiply that collective stirring of the soul; England were heavy favorites to beat Wales six years ago in France but needed a stoppage-time winner to snatch a 2-1 victory.

Biggest weakness

A lack of strength in depth. An injury to Bale or Ramsey would be a hammer blow to Wales’ hopes. Joe Allen is already a doubt with a hamstring problem and has seen a specialist in recent days to try to ensure he is fit in time. Although younger talents have emerged to bolster Page’s options — for example, defender Ethan Ampadu is 22 but already has 37 caps to his name — Wales are reliant on their smattering of big-name stars for goals, in particular. Bale was top scorer in qualifying (with five) while the absence of an elite center-forward is a problem. Kiefer Moore scored twice for Bournemouth against Tottenham recently, but the 30-year-old has plied his trade outside the Premier League until this season and has just nine international goals to his name.

Star player: Gareth Bale

Gareth Bale | Wales | Euro 2020

Rumors persist that the 33-year-old has delayed his retirement just for this World Cup. Bale signed a one-year contract with LAFC in June, and although there is an option to extend to 2024, it remains possible Bale could choose to bow out shortly after Qatar depending on what happens. His club career might have all but ground to a halt at Real Madrid, but Bale has always been Wales’ talisman, amassing 40 goals in 108 appearances. Don’t be fooled by his mixed form in MLS — Bale retains the capacity to rise to the occasion like few other players and he revels in the role of carrying a nation’s hopes on his shoulders.

Projected starting XI

(3-4-3): Hennessey; Ampadu, Rodon, Davies; Roberts, Allen, Ramsey, Williams; Bale, Moore, James.

What the stats say

– Best World Cup finish: Quarterfinals (1958).

– The 64-year gap between appearances is the longest in World Cup history.

Prediction

Wales faces a tough task to replicate their recent tournament heroics. Nevertheless, although England are clear favorites to top the group, Page’s side will expect to be competitive for one of the top two spots, and the fact they play England last could help in that regard. It might be only the first game, but United States vs. Wales already feels huge for both teams’ prospects. The round of 16 might be the best they can hope for.

07/11/2022

Beach Soccer Players under the threat of presecution.

Iran’s national beach soccer team which won the Intercontinental Cup yesterday (Sunday) by defeating Brazil in the final match 2-1 is being threatened with persecution on their return to Iran!!

Following that victory, the fourth in Iran’s history in this championship, the Beach Soccer Committee of the Football Federation FFIR published a mixed congratulatory and threatening statement
“We congratulate the Islamic Republic of Iran’s national beach soccer team in the presence of the Supreme Leader of the Revolution (…), the martyrs’ family, and the noble people of Iran. This achievement was the result of the collective efforts of the clubs and the national team, and at the head of the Football Federation, and it has caused the ability of Iran’s sports elites to be displayed in the international arena once again. Although some of the foolish opportunists planned to make these successes appear less pale by their presence around the arena to disrupt the focus of the national team, fortunately, they did not succeed. Obviously, based on the regulations of the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Olympic Code of Ethics, and the rules of the World Football Federation (FIFA) in regard to the observance of the principles governing the sport of football and avoiding any political demonstration in sports fields, we will deal with persons who have disrespected the professional and sports ethics in this regard. have not complied with the principles, it will be handled according to the regulations. We firmly believe that the beach football committee will not give up any efforts in the way of sustainable growth and development of football, in order to continue to be proud in the international arena, according to the road map of our country, and we firmly declare that we are committed according to the national interests of our country. Let’s walk the path.”

This intimidating message serves as a threat to the members of the Iranian Beach Soccer Team members who have avoided celebration as a mark of respect for the victims who have lost their lives and the thousands of Iranian that are behind brutal regime bars in the aftermath of protests following Mahsa Amini’s death at the hand of Morality police.

This is the first time that the FFIRI, which comprehensively operates as a government organization disguised as a football federation, has blatantly and officially published such threats against sportsmen and women who dare to disagree with the theocratic regimes and its strict allegiance to the rule of the clergy.