Year: 2022

Iran wins the 2022 Emirates Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup on a sad note.

Iran are the 2022 Emirates Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup champion!

In the tightest of finals, the Iranians hung on to a 2-1 lead right until the end against Brazil, who also had three titles ahead of this edition, to lift their fourth, equaling Russia’s record.

Amir Akbari was named the MVP, while fellow Iranian Hamid went home with the Best Goalkeeper award. After netting a double on the final day, Carlos Carballo, the Paraguay skipper, won the Top Scorer award.

Two previous champions, each with three titles, clashed on the sands of Dubai for the crown at the 11th edition of the Emirates Intercontinental Beach Soccer Cup. Neither had lost so far, but in beach soccer, there are no draws, and an unbeaten streak had to come to an end on Sunday.

After a tense opening of ten minutes, Iranian beach soccer legend Ahmadzadeh finally broke the deadlock, and the mainly Iranian stadium, including those outside who couldn’t get a seat inside, exploded.

A spectacular strike from Saeed had the crowd on their feet once more in the second period, and Brazil, as they had in the semi-finals, looked to be running out of ideas, taking potshots in an attempt to get back into the game.

Eventually, Marco Octavio’s men found a way through, as Catarino slotted home a penalty to make it 2-1.

A stubborn Iran then hung on for dear life as the men in yellow shirts threw everything they had at them, but they cleverly held the Brazilian firepower at bay to clinch the win and a record-equalling fourth Intercontinental Cup!

In the award ceremony at the end of the match, the Iranian Beach Soccer national team players mutedly celebrated the cham[pionship in respect to the hundreds of compatriots who have lost their lives at the hand of the brutal regime as a result of protests across Iran.  Before the start of the match, the National Anthem was also booed by a large number of crowds in the arena in protest against the Iranian government. Those two events had the Iranian state TV scramble to cut the live trans,mission and substitute it with their own propaganda.

Kudos to Iran’s Beach Soccer players for taking a gallant stand for a just cause.

Hope for Azmoun’s return in the near future

Good news for Bayer 04 Leverkusen: Askickerreports, Sardar Azmoun could return to the squad next week. The striker recently worked on his comeback under the guidance of a private physio in Qatar.

The Iranian suffered a torn muscle fiber in the calf during training about four weeks ago, which is now apparently cured.

The remaining program of Bayer 04 Leverkusen

  • Matchday 13 – Home game against Union Berlin (Sunday, 15:30)
  • Matchday 14 – away game at 1 FC Cologne (9 November, 6:30 pm)
  • Matchday 15 – Home game against VfB Stuttgart (12 November, 15:30)

FIFA has called on the teams participating in the Qatar WC to “focus on football”.

FIFA has called on the teams participating in the controversial Qatar World Cup to “focus on football” and stop “handing out moral lessons” in a letter revealed by Sky News on Thursday. Qatar has faced criticism for its human rights record on the treatment of foreign workers on major infrastructure projects for the World Cup, on women’s rights, and LGBTQ rights. Homosexuality is illegal in the Gulf state and captains from a number of leading European countries, including England, France, and Germany, will wear armbands in rainbow colors with the message “One Love” in an anti-discrimination campaign.

Last week, the Australian national team condemned the “suffering” of migrant workers.

“Please let’s now focus on the football!” FIFA president Gianni Infantino and secretary general Fatma Samoura said in a letter sent to all 32 World Cup teams, confirmed to AFP by world football’s governing body.

“We know football does not live in a vacuum and we are equally aware that there are many challenges and difficulties of a political nature all around the world.

“But please do not allow football to be dragged into every ideological or political battle that exists.”

Qatar organizers have defended the country’s rights record.

After the Australian players’ criticism, a World Cup spokesperson said imposing “robust” labor laws had also been a “challenge” for Australia.

Earlier this week, the Arab League states slammed criticism of Qatar as a “defamation campaign” ahead of the tournament.

“One of the great strengths of the world is indeed its very diversity, and if inclusion means anything, it means having respect for that diversity,” continued the FIFA letter.

“No one people or culture or nation is ‘better’ than any other.”

Qatar Labour Minister Ali bin Samikh Al Marri told AFP on Wednesday that calls for a new compensation fund for migrant workers was a “publicity stunt”. He also accused some of the country’s critics of “racism”.

“They don’t want to allow a small country, an Arab country, an Islamic country, to organize the World Cup,” Marri said.

In 2010, Qatar clinched the rights to the World Cup after winning a ballot of Fifa’s 22 executive members. It defeated bids from the US, South Korea, Japan, and Australia. It is the first Middle Eastern nation to host the tournament

The irony is that many countries criticizing Qatar think that the host has to change its culture, labor laws, and religious practice just for the sake of a few players kicking a ball around. Issues such as gay rights or migrant abuse are two of a series of political and social issues that are being used to disrupt the hosting of the FIFA World Cup.

Apart from the sore loser Australia that lost to Qatar in the 2010 voting, all other calls are from European countries who have a plethora of social issues themselves which have not been solved and countries where the far right,  racist and fascist in their ideologies, are slowly but firmly gaining strength. 

Then there is the hypocrisy of these countries. Qatar has not changed much and not yielding to their demands, yet not a single qualified country is willing to withdraw. Many European countries boycotted the Moscow 1980 Olympics, but none did the same when the USA invaded Afghanistan and then Iraq !!

There is far too much money at stake in the FIFA World Cup!

Ammad Nourollahi’s injury is more serious than initially thought.

The Team Melli midfielder and current Shabab Alahli player was not included in the team’s list for the match against Al-Bataih. Al-Ahli will face Al-Bataih in the ninth week of the Emirates League. The main line-up and reserve players of Al-Ahli were announced for this game, and Ahmad Nourollahi was not included in the squad to increase the concern about the player’s injury.

Nourollahi seemed to be injured seriously in the last match of Al-Ahli against Al-Ain and was substituted after receiving treatment. Al-Ahli club has not yet officially explained the type and severity of this Iranian player, but the way Nourollahi was treated shows that it is highly likely that his injury is severe and serious and would be out for an extended period. . Al-Ahli has performed well this season with the presence of Nourollahi and the Portuguese coach Jardim’s guidance, and if they win against Al-Battah, they will climb to the top of the standings. If there is no injury concern, Nourollahi is expected to be one of the main players of the Iranian squad in the 2022 World Cup while his absence is very bad news for Carlos Queiroz.

Team Melli will meet England in Doha on the 21st of Nov 2022, seventeen days time from now.

Taremi shines again and leads Porto to top the group

FC Porto and Team Melli striker, Mehdi Taremi, once again made the headlines as the Portuguese club defeated Atletico Madrid 2-1 in the last game of Group B of the UEFA Champions League.

Porto went ahead in the fifth minute when forward Taremi tapped in a cross from Evanilson, registering his fifth goal in the Champions League this season. Porto had already qualified for the last 16 but leapfrogged Club Brugge to finish as group winners with 12 points, one point ahead of the Belgians who also went through.

Taremi, for the second match in a row, managed to finish as the MVP of the difficult encounter against the powerful Diego Simeone players. Atletico Madrid failed to qualify from the group.

The five goals that Mehdi Taremi has scored so far is the highest number that has been achieved by any Iranian player in the history of the UEFA Champions League. The Iranian player from the Persian Gulf port city of Bushehr thus ensured that his name will be in the record books for many years to come. With 5 goals scored in five games, Taremi is on par with Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski in the list of top scorers of the UCL this season. Mohammed Salah (Liverpool) with 7 goals leads the table followed by Kylian Mbappe (PSG). Taremi finds himself amongst the elite of European elites to the delight of the Iranian fans.

Queiroz complains and then threatens!

According to Mehr’s reporter, today’s training of the Iranian national football team was held in a situation where

Carlos Queiroz appeared in front of reporters for a few minutes to explain the latest developments and the conditions of his team. In his short conversation with the press, the Portuguese head coach of Team Melli complained about the training camp progress which he claimed was ruining his plans. He predicted that the preparation of Team Melli collapsing!!

In the beginning, he said: “For whatever reason, our preparation program is not moving in the right direction. You are aware that preparation is a key step in the path ahead and without it, we cannot achieve an ideal condition.” The head coach of the national team, for the first time, indirectly warned that some players not participating in this current training of the squad might face the chop. He said: “Now that we don’t have these players, it is difficult to check on their forms, rediness and standards. Probably, some of them will miss the opportunity to be on the national team.” Queiroz raised this issue of Mohammad Hossein Kananizadegan and Shoja’a Khalilzadeh, the two central defenders , who had to return to Qatar after two weeks of training with the national team, by the order of the Al-Ahli club.

In this regard, he said: “Unfortunately, Qatar’s Al-Ahli Club did not allow Shoja’a Khalilzadeh and Kananizadegan to continue training with us. Five weeks without a football game is hard for them to be on the roster. I have to think about this again. All players must practice and play and be available. Queiroz also mentioned the absence of Esteghlal players in this round of training. The Esteghlal players are training for the Super Cup match against Nasaji, and now it is not clear whether the head coach of the national team is referring to the possibility of some players being crossed out from Team Melli roster. It is not clear if Queiroz exclusion warning was towards the Esteghlal player on Team Melli list or the defensive line pair of the Al-Ahli club.

In any case, Queiroz is back to his old tricks preparing people in case of failure in the World Cup. Al Ahli club have done Team Melli a favor by realsing the players for two weeks as they are under no obligation to release them a month before the start of the World Cup. Estghla Club is also in the same boat as Al Ahli as Esteghlal have an important match in the domestic league calender. They are playing the Nasiji in the super cup.

Iran ‘tried to kidnap 127-cap international legend Ali Karimi after issuing arrest warrant for criticizing regime’

IRAN tried to kidnap a former national football team captain for criticising the regime, according to his friend.

Ex-skipper Ali Karimi made 127 appearances for his country between 1998 and 2012, including at the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

Ali Karimi is at the centre of a kidnap attempt by the Iranian regime

Ali Karimi is at the centre of a kidnap attempt by the Iranian regimeCredit: AFP

However, he is now said to be living in exile in the UAE and at the centre of a social media, ploy to lure him back to his homeland because of his support for recent protests. Karimi, 43, went public with comments following the shocking arrest and death in custody three days later of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in September for wearing her hijab incorrectly.

As reported by The Times, that resulted in an arrest warrant, accusing Karimi of “collusion with the intention of acting against national security”.

And now pal Mehdi Rostampour has detailed how an elaborate plan to capture the former Bayern Munich playmaker was devised.

In a lengthy social media post, Rostampour described how a “celebrity” (alleged to be Mehran Modiri) with alleged links to the regime wanted to follow Karimi’s lead and leave the country, requesting to meet in Fujairah, UAE. The message was sent to Karimi via another footballer he knew – but the sporting icon grew suspicious. Rostampour said: “Karimi was not keen on meeting him in any case.

“But just before the set time, he received a text from a friend saying, ‘Fujairah is a trap’.

“Who was the sender? Someone from within the intelligence ministry!”

Rostampour alleged the plan – conjured up by Iran’s intelligence ministry – was to force Karimi onto a boat, ship him back to Iran and strongarm him into making a false confession on state TV.

Around 200 people have died at the hands of security authorities while many of the crowds have chanted Karimi’s name. It is thought Iran wants to silence Karimi as a powerful voice of opposition – and he has reportedly had his passport confiscated yet still managed to fly to the UAE. Rostampour concluded: “Fortunately Ali Karimi is in good hands and safe. He has committed no crime other than standing by his people.”

people.”

All my pain and sorrow is the safety of the people in Iran

Ali Karimi

Karimi said on Monday: “I thank my countrymen who are worried about my humble self. “I and my family have been threatened and are threatened in various ways. But I am not important. “I still mourn my countrymen across Iran and all my pain and sorrow is the safety of the people in my homeland.”

There are growing calls for Fifa to banish Iran from the World Cup due to the oppressive regime and human rights record as well as the government supplying drones to Russia in their illegal invasion of Ukraine.

 

 

Grand performance by Mehdi Taremi in UCL.

Team Melli’s central striker Mehdi Taremi accomplished a grand Man-Of-the-Match performance for his team, FC Porto, against the group leaders Club Brugge by leading them to a 4-0 win away.

In the 33rd minute, Taremi opened the scoring with an immaculate snooker-type shot into the former Liverpool keeper Mignolet. The 30-year-old forward also closed the match with his second and Porto’s fourth in the 70th minute.

Meanwhile, Taremi also provided a slick pass to assist Eustaquio for the third goal in minute 60.

Taremi could have easily scored a hat trick, but his effort earlier in the first half was shot high off the mark while he was on-to-one against Mignolet.

Sergio Conceicao’s FC Porto is second in the table and would qualify early if Atletico Madrid fails to beat Bayer Leverkusen, missing Azmoun, in the later match.

With a rating of 9.1 and a man-of-the-match performance, Taremi has primed at the right time for the World Cup in less than a month.

AFC U20 Asian Cup™ Uzbekistan 2023 draw

Tashkent: The continent’s rising stars are set for exciting tussles following the completion of the AFC U20 Asian Cup™ Uzbekistan 2023 draw on Wednesday.
The 16 teams were divided into four groups with the top two from each group to advance to the quarter-finals in the March 1 to 18, 2023 showpiece.
Hosts Uzbekistan were placed in Group A alongside Indonesia, Iraq and Syria.
Group B will see Qatar, Australia, Vietnam, and Iran vying for the quarter-final berths while Korean Republic, Tajikistan, Jordan, and Oman are the four teams in Group C.
Group D saw defending champions Saudi Arabia, Japan, China PR, and the Kyrgyz Republic being drawn together.

Youth Competitions Brand Reveal

Besides continental glory, there will be four tickets at stake for the FIFA U20 World Cup 2023, which will return to Asia in Indonesia from May 20 to June 11.
Draw Result
Group A: Uzbekistan, Indonesia, Iraq, Syria
Group B: Qatar, Australia, Vietnam, Iran
Group C: Korea Republic, Tajikistan, Jordan, Oman
Group D: Saudi Arabia, Japan, China PR, Kyrgyz Republic

Top Team Melli players who missed the World Cup.

Iranian stars who missed the World Cup

During the five times that Iran qualified for the World Cups, big names missed out on participating in the World Cup squads due to injuries.

Injuries are one of the biggest concerns of national coaches before the World Cup. As we get closer to these competitions, the fear of injury increases every time the stars fall. During the past few days, new players have been added to the list of those who missed the World Cup. For many players who have been injured for a long time and are undergoing treatment to be on time for this event, it is not clear what percentage of preparation they will need to be fit for the World Cup and whether they can help their team or not.

There is also this concern about Iran. Carlos Queiroz monitors the performance of the players who are likely to be on the final list every day. He has assigned his assistants inside and outside Iran to monitor the level of readiness of his players on daily basis, two of his assistants left Iran to continue the task of checking on the legionnaires a few days back. Many experts believe that along with the technical and tactical preparation of the teams, the luck of the teams in having their players in this World Cup and not getting injured before this important event is very important.

A look at the history of Iran’s Team Melli also confirms that sometimes injuries have plagued the teams and Iran has not been able to perform at its best.

ARGENTINA 1978

For the first time in history, Iran qualified for the FIFA World Cup when only 16 teams had such honor. Unfortunately, Iran left out three key players, while one star was half-fit.  A few days before departing for Argentina, Reza Adelkhani was injured in a freak domestic accident that left him with severe swelling and a broken knee, he was left out.

Gholamhossein Mazloomi, the prolific striker and arguably Iran’s best missed the World Cup due to a long-term injury, leaving Team Melli with young and little-known strikers such as Hossein Fekri and Behtash Fariba. However, Iran’s greatest and most celebrated player Parviz Ghleechkhani missed the world cup altogether not because of any injury but due to political decisions as a result of his anti-regime leanings.

Hassan Rowshan, one of the scoring hopes of Iran was listed in the squad carrying an injury.  and cannot accompany the national team as he should. 

GHOLAMHOSSEIN MAZLOOMI
Gholamhossein Mazloomi
Parviz Ghleechkhani
Mohammad Reza Adelkhani

France 1998

While there were no significant key players missing for this edition before departure to France, Reza Shahroudi, the left back, suffered an untimely injury while he was at his peak. He lost his seat and Team Melli was suddenly in a great panic to find a replacement in time.

Injuries occurred during the 1998 World Cup in France. Team Melli suffered from injuries at the wrong time. Ahmadreza Abedzadeh, the No 1 goalkeeper, was injured before the start of the first match against Yugoslavia to add to the worries at the defense in addition to Sharoudi’s absence. Iran lost 1-0. 

Germany 2006

Sattar Zare, the favorite left defender of Branko Ivankovic, was injured a few days before their departure to Germany for the World Cup, Branko Ivankovic had to look for an alternate. While at his peak, Mojtaba Jabbari did not make it to the World Cup due to a torn cruciate ligament. But a single player who was more prominent in the team and the one that worried the head coach was Alireza Vahedi-Nikbakht. The Esteghlal star enjoying his best playing days was the best-left winger in Iran in those days and he recently won the championship with Esteghlal, but a bad injury prevented him from making it to the World Cup and Mehrzad Madanchi was his replacement in Germany. 

Sattar Zare
Alireza Vahedi-Nikbakht
Mojtaba Jabbari

BRAZIL 2014

Hashem Beikzadeh suffered the strangest of injuries. He was a certainty as the left defender of Team Melli in the FIFA World Cup 2014, but the injury destroyed his dream and he went to the World Cup in Brazil only as a spectator. 

Hashim Beikzadeh

Russia 2018

The 2018 World Cup edition in Russia, had the most number of injuries. Ali Karimi, the central midfielder, missed the chance to play in the World Cup due to an injury. Dariush Shojaeian, who was becoming a regular in Team Melli’s squad, also was injured and missed the world cup due to a torn cruciate ligament.
 Mohammad Hossein Kananizadegan one of  Carlos Queiroz’s favorite players, could not make it due to injury. Ali Golizadeh was on the list of Queiroz before the 2018 World Cup, but the injury in the last game in the final training match led to his exclusion as the young midfielder and winger missed this tournament.

Ali Karimi
Ali Gholizadeh
Hossein Kanani-Zadegan
Dariush Shojaeian

Qatar 2022

* Qatar World Cup 2022 From now on, it can be said that Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, the Hull City striker, is the first absentee from the squad for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, but there are still doubts about the next players. So far, Sardar Azmoun‘s injury has caused the most concern for the coaching staff and fans, but the necessary care is being taken for this player in order to make the squad to Qatar. Azmoun is likely to make it to the tournament according to the latest medical diagnosis as he is recovering well from the injury while warming up for the UCL match against Porto. Other players such as Ali Reza Beiranvand and Sarlak continue their recovery work with minor injuries and it does not seem that two will be absent in the World Cup. Carlos Queiroz, his third time with Iran in the World Cup is beaming with hope. He definitely does not need more bad news on the fitness of his players with less than a month to the start of the competition.