Author: Editor

Classy Adidas shows crooked Nike a lesson.

MOSCOW — Nike responded defiantly on Sunday following criticism over its refusal to provide cleats for the Iran World Cup team – due to United States sanctions against the country.

Shortly before the tournament, the Iranian team said Nike had pulled out of a commitment to supply its cleats. Following its dramatic opening game victory over Morocco, several players and head coach Carlos Queiroz criticized the American sportswear giant over its stance.

Iran’s World Cup jerseys are provided by German-owned Adidas. That company’s CEO, Kasper Rorsted, said Iran is one of 12 teams it sponsors.

“We equip the Iranian team because a lot of Iranians love football, and at the end of the day we believe in sport,” Rorsted told Russia’s RT.com. “We believe that through sport we have the power to change lives.

“If we start being a political engine then we don’t actually have the freedom to do what we want to do and that’s really making people’s lives better.”

However, in an e-mail to USA TODAY Sports, Nike claimed that it had been “complying with this legal requirement for many years,” and emphasized that due to government restrictions, being unable to send footwear to the squad was “not a choice.”

 “US sanctions mean that, as a US company, NIKE cannot supply shoes to players in the Iranian National team at this time,” a statement from Nike’s media relations team read. “Sanctions applicable to NIKE have been in place for many years and are enforceable by law.”

The saga has reflected poorly on Nike, leading to heavy criticism internationally, yet the company feels that the full story has not come out. Nike’s e-mail added that there had been no sudden change in its policy towards providing product to Iran and that “suggestions otherwise are misleading.”

Iran’s squad has been incensed by the situation and the story line has been the biggest talking point surrounding the team’s campaign.

“What Nike did to us was very wrong,” forward Karim Ansarifard told ESPN. “I can tell you, as a footballer, we don’t compare diplomatic and political problems to sports.”

Queiroz has long highlighted the struggles faced by the Iran team, which has a competitive and travel budget far lower than many teams in the tournament.

“Let them enjoy football like all the other football players in the world,” Queiroz said. “They are not against nobody or against nothing. They just want to express themselves and play football. It is totally unfair to 23 boys who just want to play football. They deserve to be treated like all the other players in the world.”

Political sanctions against Iran have long been in place, but there have been reports of them being implemented more rigorously in recent years. However, Nike was clear that its approach towards Iran had nothing to do with the Trump administration, as the relevant sanctions were implemented before the last election.

Nike pointed out that any player can buy Nike products, and that the company is also permitted to sponsor Iranian athletes who don’t live in their homeland. Nine members of the squad play in Iran, while the rest play for clubs abroad.

Isco “will have to fight to death to win against Iran”

Spanish National football team player Isco “Francisco Román  Alarcón” said that team will “have to fight to death” to win the upcoming World Cup game against Iran, during a press conference in Krasnodar, Monday.

“We will try to score during the first minute, as always. It’s not easy, obviously, but we have to fight to death with the style that defines us, we have to play, to touch the ball, to have possession, and if we play quickly from side to side, occasions will arrive and I hope we can score quickly”, he said.

When asked about new coach Fernando Hierro, Isco affirmed that “there haven’t been many changes because he knows that we work well with what we already have”.

Asked about new coach Fernando Hierro, after the sudden sacking of Julen Lopetegui, Isco affirmed that “there haven’t been many changes because he knows that we work well with what we already have”. Spain will face Iran on June 20 at the Kazan Arena.

Roozbeh Cheshmi out of the World Cup

FFIRI has announced that Roozbeh Cheshmi, Team Melli center-right defender, has suffered an injury during training yesterday and will no longer feature in the FIFA World Cup 2018 in Russia.

It is a real blow for the defender who has pivitol in the defence of Team Melli against Morocco.

With that injury, Carlos Queiroz equation changes for the second game against Spain. Iran edged Morocco 1-0 in the their first World Cup match at the St. Petersburg Stadium on Friday following a stoppage time own goal from Aziz Bouhaddouz.

“It was a great football match. Our strategy was exactly since the first minute to create a mental collapse in the Moroccan players. And now we tried to do that creating frustration and block all the playmakers, The players that can create something. The most open opportunities [to strike] in the first half belongs to Iran and since we were able to create panic in the defensive line of Morocco the game changed. Now it’s time to rest and think about the game against Spain,” Queiroz told at the press conference.

Roozbeh Cheshmi was in the heart of defence that frustrated the Moroccans.

In the game against Morocco, Cheshmi  alongside Morteza PouraliGanji in the middle of defense was able to protect and cover Alireza Beyranvand to keep a clean sheet. Now, with this injury, who should be seen as a substitute for a defender who has been labeled by Queiroz as “the most modern” defender of Iran in the past 10 years.

Queiroz , with all the criticisms that he sustained before the start of the Russian World Cup for playing from Roozbeh Cheshmi in the heart of the national defense, called him the most modern defender of the last 10 years in the national team. A strange claim since Queiroz has not been in Iran for 10 years. Now that Cheshmi is injured and can not play for the Team Melli, that piece of brief news has hit the team and considered as a great shock for some and certainly for the squad.

Majid Hosseini

However, it is not like a lost cause as Queiroz has three options for Cheshmi. Majid Hosseini, Pejman Montazeri and Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh.

Majid Hosseini, who was substituted in the final minutes of the game with Morocco, experienced his first appearance at the World Cup. The young defender of Esteghlal Tehran, who had developed quite rapidly from a youth team all the way to Team Melli senior team, was preferred to the much experienced of Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh, who has been playing for a long time at club and the national team.

Of course, Queiroz has proven that he has tricks up his sleeve and not shy from taking bold decisions such as using a player with one cap only, in an important match in the World Cup. That is what he did with Majid Hosseini. A surprise that no one guessed.

However, It’s unlikely that Queiroz will opt for young Majid Hosseini this time against Spain. Most likely he will use Khanzadeh and even Pejman Montazeri instead of his modern advocate.

Nike will not outfit Team Melli

Nike will not provide cleats to the Iranian soccer team ahead of and during this month’s World Cup because of economic sanctions against the Islamic Republic as the American company shamefully claims

The move follows the Trump Administration’s decision to withdraw from the international nuclear deal made in 2015, though the sanctions that prevent the sportswear giant from working with the Iranian team have existed through multiple administrations, Nike said in a statement.

“U.S. sanctions mean that, as a U.S. company, Nike cannot supply shoes to players in the Iranian National team at this time,” the company said. “Sanctions applicable to Nike have been in place for many years and are enforceable by law.”

Some teams allow players to select their own cleats, including which brand, for competition. Some players, for example, may have sponsorship with Nike. Those deals, the company said, will not be affected. Other teams are sponsored by a particular brand — the main players in the international soccer scene are Nike, Adidas and Puma — and require players to wear a certain shoe.

Adidas, a Germany-headquartered company, provides Iran’s uniforms, but told CNBC it was not sponsoring the team, merely selling the kit at a steep discount.

Iranian players are free to purchase and wear Nike cleats during the tournament.

Still the sanctions have provoked the anger of international development groups critical of both the Trump Administration’s stance toward the Islamic Republic and Nike’s choice to abide by the sanctions, a violation of which could result in civil and criminal penalties.

The move by Nike highlights the ripe hypocrisy of the American politics and the double standards when applying policies. A boycott of an Israeli athlete is akin to anti-Semitism and flagrant interference of politics in sport, but Nike refusing to provide boots is seems to have NOTHING to do with politics !!!!

“We are disappointed that Nike has boycotted Iran’s World Cup players by refusing to provide shoes to the Iranian national team,” Jamal Abdi, the vice president for policy of the National Iranian American Council, a nonprofit focused on Iranian-American relations, said in a statement. “We call on the U.S. Government to take immediate steps to address this shameful situation and that Nike actively seek a resolution. FIFA should also take necessary steps to address this issue and ensure that none of the teams in the World Cup are subject to double standards.

“Governments that drag politics into international sporting events, including Iran itself when it boycotts matches with Israel, face well-deserved admonishment. This situation is unfortunately no different. Events like the World Cup and the Olympics are meant to rise above disputes between nations and serve as an example of what unites us.”

The Iranian national team has not commented publicly on the sanctions. Iran is set to face Morocco in the first round of the World Cup on Saturday in St. Petersburg.

GROUP ‘B’ – The Iberian supremacy !

Portugal won’t have good memories of their World Cup campaign four years back. Placed in one of the toughest groups, they began with a humiliating 4-0 loss to eventual champions Germany. The loss proved costly as they crashed out in goal difference after a 2-2 draw against USA and a 2-1 win over Ghana.

Fast forward to 2018, they again face a tough opening fixture against 2010 champions Spain on June 15.

Portugal however head into this tournament as reigning European champions and with a better pedigree than the side that crashed out in the group stages four years back.

Ronaldo has found a highly capable strike partner in AC Milan youngster Andre Silva. Most of the core members of the 2016 Euro-winning side are still in the team that has been bolstered by the likes of Bernardo Silva and Goncalo Guedes.

Spain had also suffered the ignominy of a group stage exit as defending champions in 2014. Then in the 2016 European Championships, they failed to get past the Round of 16.

This time though, they are billed as one of the title favourites because of the abundance of talent. It boasts of one of the strongest midfields with old warhorses Andres Iniesta, David Silva and Sergio Busquets backed by the likes of Saul, Koke, Marco Asensio, Isco and Thiago.

The team that both Spain and Portugal will be hoping to avoid a slip-up against is the Iranian side coached by Portuguese tactician Carlos Queiroz.

Arguably the strongest team in Asia, the Iranian side boasts of a highly organised defence that formed the backbone of its campaign.

Saeid Ezatolahi, suspended for the first game, is playing for Russia’s Amkar Perm, will be the team’s creative engine in midfield while Rubin Kazan forward Sardar Azmoun, one of Asia’s most highly-rated talents, is set to lead the line. In Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Iran have another highly effective attacking outlet.

Morocco, meanwhile, are rank underdogs. At the World Cup, Morocco will have their hands full against three strong sides.

Karim El Ahmadi, the team’s defensive midfield lynchpin, will be a crucial cog in the wheel for Herve Renard’s side. Hakim Ziyech and Younes Belhanda, on the other hand, are two key creative forces in midfield.

GROUP B
IRAN

Qualified four times; best – group stage
1978, 1998, 2006, 2014

Qualifying route: Rd 1 – bye; Rd 2 – Gr D winners (W6 D2 L0); Rd 3 – Gr A winners (W6 D4 L0)

CARLOS QUEIROZ
Head coach

(L-R) Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Sardar Azmoun, Saeid Ezatolahi
SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS: Alireza Beiranvand, Rashid Mazaheri, Amir Abedzadeh

DEFENDERS: Ramin Rezaeian, Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh, Morteza Pouraliganj, Ehsan Hajsafi, Pejman Montazeri, Seyed Majid Hosseini, Milad Mohammadi, Roozbeh Cheshmi

MIDFIELDERS: Saeid Ezatolahi, Masoud Shojaei, Mahdi Torabi, Omid Ebrahimi, Vahid Amiri

FORWARDS: Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Karim Ansarifard, Mahdi Taremi, Sardar Azmoun, Reza Ghoochannejhad, Saman Ghoddos, Ashkan Dejagah

Average age 26.7
Oldest Player 34 Pejman Montazeri
Youngest Player 21 Saeid Ezatolahi
Average goal
Total goals of squad 108
Highest scorer 23 Sardar Azmoun
Total Games of squad 685
Avarge game 29.8
Players Domestic League 9 39%
Players Foreign Leagues 14 61%
MOROCCO

Qualified four times: best – Round of 16
1986

Qualifying route: Rd 1 – bye; Rd 2 – bt Equatorial Guinea 2-1 (2-0, 0-1) on aggr; Rd 3 – Gr C winners (W3 D3 L0)

HERVE RENARD
Head coach

(L-R) Karim El Ahmadi, Medhi Benatia, Hakim Ziyech
SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS: Munir Mohamedi, Yassine Bounou, Ahmad Reda Tagnaouti

DEFENDERS: Medhi Benatia, Romain Saiss, Manuel Da Costa, Badr Benoun, Nabil Dirar, Achraf Hakimi, Hamza Mendyl

MIDFIELDERS: M’bark Boussoufa, Karim El Ahmadi, Youssef Ait Bennasser, Sofyan Amrabat, Younes Belhanda, Faycal Fajr, Amine Harit

FORWARDS: Khalid Boutaib, Aziz Bouhaddouz, Ayoub El Kaabi, Nordin Amrabat, Mehdi Carcela, Hakim Ziyech

Average age 26.8
Oldest Player 33 Boussoufa
Youngest Player 19 Hakimi
Average goal
Total goals of squad 57
Highest scorer 11 A. El Kaabi
Total Games of squad 536
Avarge game 23.3
Players Domestic League 1 4%
Players Foreign Leagues 22 96%
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PORTUGAL   

******************************************************************************************************
Qualified six times; best – third place 1966

Qualifying route: UEFA Group B winners (W9 D0 L1)

FERNANDO SANTOS
Head coach

(L-R) Cristiano Ronaldo, Andre Silva, Bernardo Silva
SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS: Anthony Lopes, Beto, Rui Patricio

DEFENDERS: Bruno Alves, Cedric Soares, Jose Fonte, Mario Rui, Pepe, Raphael Guerreiro, Ricardo Pereira, Ruben Dias

MIDFIELDERS: Adrien Silva, Bruno Fernandes, Joao Mario, Joao Moutinho, Manuel Fernandes, William Carvalho

FORWARDS: Andre Silva, Bernardo Silva, Cristiano Ronaldo, Gelson Martins, Goncalo Guedes, Ricardo Quaresma

Average age 27.9
Oldest Player 36 Bruno Alves
Youngest Player 21 Rúben Dias
Average goal
Total goals of squad 139
Highest scorer 81 Cristiano Ronaldo
Total Games of squad 892
Avarge game 38.8
Players Domestic League 6 26%
Players Foreign Leagues 17 74%
******************************************************************************************************

SPAIN

******************************************************************************************************

Qualified 14 times: best – champions 2010

Qualifying route: UEFA Group G winners (W9 D1 L0)

JULEN LOPETEGUI
Head coach

(L-R) David Silva, David de Gea, Isco
SQUAD
GOALKEEPERS: David de Gea, Pepe Reina, Kepa Arrizabalaga

DEFENDERS: Dani Carvajal, Alvaro Odriozola, Gerard Pique, Sergio Ramos, Nacho, Cesar Azpilicueta, Jordi Alba, Nacho Monreal

MIDFIELDERS: Sergio Busquets, Saul Niquez, Koke, Thiago Alcantara, Andres Iniesta, David Silva

FORWARDS: Isco, Marcio Asensio, Lucas Vazquez, Iago Aspas, Rodrigo, Diego Costa

Average age 28
Oldest Player 35 Pepe Reina
Youngest Player 22 Marco Asensio
Average goal
Total goals of squad 104
Highest scorer 35 David Silva
Total Games of squad 644
Avarge game 41.5
Players Domestic League 17 74%
Players Foreign Leagues 6 16%

Group B fixtures (all times IST)

15th June 8.30 pm: MOROCCO vs IRAN (St. Petersburg)

15th June 11.30 pm PORTUGAL vs SPAIN (Sochi)

20th June 5.30 pm: PORTUGAL vs MOROCCO (Moscow)

20th June 11.30 pm: IRAN vs SPAIN (Kazan)

25th June 11.30 pm: IRAN vs PORTUGAL (Saransk)

25th June 11.30 pm: SPAIN vs MOROCCO (Kaliningrad)

After 4 years in the summit, Iran loses top ranking.

In the last FIFA Ranking before the World Cup, Team Melli finally lost its record breaking 4 years reign as the top rank Asian Team in June 2018.

Australia overtook Iran as the top Asian team while Iran dropped to second place ahead of Japan and South Korea.

FIFA/COCA-COLA WORLD RANKING

Rank Team Asia Points +/-
36
Australia  AUS
1
 718 18
37
IR Iran  IRN
2
 708 -19
38
Congo DR COD
 
 706 -5

 

 

Rank Team Total Points Previous Points +/-
1 36 AUSAustralia 718(718.33) 700 4
2 37 IRNIR Iran 708(708.35) 727 -1
3 57 KORKorea Republic 544(543.67) 520 4
4 61 JPNJapan 521(520.75) 528 -1
5 67 KSASaudi Arabia 465(465.28) 462 0
6 73 SYRSyria 440(439.65) 423 3
7 75 CHNChina PR 423(423.09) 431 -2
8 77 UAEUnited Arab Emirates 418(417.66) 405 4
9 79 LIBLebanon 411(411.49) 404 3
10 84 OMA Oman 391 383 3

Team Melli lands in Russia

Team Melli squad including 23+1 players landing in Moscow on a chartered flight from Istanbul Turkey.

An official FIFA delegation and organizing committee members were in the airport to greet the team. Mohammed Reza Saket was heading the delegation while the head of FFIRI is recuperating after his stroke in Istanbul.

Team Melli squad was also greeted by a good number of Iranian fans waving the tr-color flag.

The team then proceeded towards the special camp preparing for the last friendly match against Lithuania.

Team Melli spent over 7 days in camp at Besiktas club in Istanbul including a friendly game versus Turkey which Iran lot 2-1.

Team Melli top stars

When Team Melli kicks off the opening match in St. Petersburg against Morocco on June 15th, all eyes will be focused on Sardar Azmoun. Majority of websites and sport media profiling and analyzing Group B of this FIFA World Cup 2018 competition, single out the Rubin Kazan’s forward Azmoun as Iran’s best hope and the star player.

Of course, this is a compliment to the 22 years old who has an outstanding scoring record at international level and at such a young age. Azmoun could very well end up as the single most influential player in Team Melli and deservedly so. However, based on statistics and form, the Rubin Kazan forward is a distant third or even fourth in Team Melli top performers of the season.



The top performer accolade goes for Alireza Jahanbakhsh , the brilliant  AZ Alkamaar winger who has topped the Dutch league scorers chart, thus becoming the first ever Asian Player to do so in a major European league. An exceptional prospect and an all-round player, Jahanbakhsh can supplement Sardar Azmoun in the front but he is also well capable of outdoing Team Melli’s main striker and grabbing all the glory. The 24 years old Jahanbakhsh has what it takes to beat the Spanish and Portuguese defenses. He scored 21 goals for Alkamaar this season which is 10 more goals than his tally for last season.

On the other hand, Azmoun has scored only 5 goals for Rubin Kazan this season. He never hit double figure in scoring at club level in his professional career, a far cry from his record at Team Melli level which has a stunning 23 goals in 32 matches.

Two more plyers have better records than Sardar too. Karim Ansarifard, Olympiakos Piraeus striker who has scored an impressive tally of 17 goals in the Greek league, and Heerenveen forward, Reza Ghoochannejad who has scored 9 goals in the Dutch league, both have better return in the leagues than Iran’s golden boy Azmoun.

Although it is difficult to compare the league form to those at the highest level of football, as the World Cup definitely is, Alireza Jahanbakhsh’s impressive season and ability cannot be overlooked and the chances of him outshining his teammate is absolutely a possibility.

What all that means for Carlos Queiroz at the end of the day, is that he is spoiled for choices up front. Now if he can only sort out his fragile back line.

FIFA World Cup 2018 : Team Melli Final List

Team Melli final list for the FIFA World Cup 2018 Russia has been announced on the deadline date today.

There were various rumors that Jalal Hosseini and/or Veria Ghafouri will be included in the final list and two other defenders were heading out of the squad, but based on track record of Carlos Querioz , it was clear that he would not reverse his decision.

Carlos Queiroz announced his final list at the last hours of FIFA deadline, and only Ali Ghalizadeh was left out of the squad. Queiroz organized his team with 24 players so that if one of the players gets injured he can repalce him easily.

Following the release of the list, the coach sent a brief message to the soccer community saying “I would like to appreciate the efforts of all the players who helped the national team in the World Cup qualifying and preparation games, especially players such as Andranik Teymourian, Jalal Hosseini, Vouria Ghafouri , Kaveh Rezaie, Mohammad Ansari, Ali Karimi, Ezatollah Pourghaz, Saeed Aghaei and Sousha Makani , who have played a major role in qualifying Team Melli to the World Cup. ”

 

The 23 final players in the 2018 World Cup are as follows:

 

Persepolis

 

Jersey : 11

D.O.B: 02.Apr.88
Born: Darreh-ye Badam
Height: 191 cm
International Debut: Iraq 04.Jan.2015
Position:  Forward- Midfield

 

 

 

 

 

Olympiacos CFP (GRC)

 

Jersey: 10

D.O.B: 03-Apr-90
Born: Ardabil
Height: 175 cm
International Debut: Iceland 10.Nov.09
Position:  Forward
Age: 27

More ->

 

 

Rubin Kazan(RUS)

 

Jersey: 20

D.O.B: 01-Jan-95
Born: Gonbad-e Kavus
Height: 185 cm
International Debut: Montenegro 26.May.14
Position:  Forward
Age: 22

More ->

 

 

Persepolis

 

Jersey: 1

D.O.B: 22.Sep.92
Born: Khorramabad
Height: 195 cm
International Debut: Iraq 04.Jan.15
Position:  Goalkeeper
Age: 24

 

 

 

Esteghlal

 

Jersey: 4

D.O.B: 24.Jul.93
Born: Tehran
Height: 192 cm
International Debut: Korea Rep. 31.Aug.2017
Position:  Defender
Age: 24

 

 

 

Nottingham Forest

 

Jersey: 21

D.O.B: 05.Jul.1986
Born: Tehran
Height: 181 cm
International Debut: Qatar 29.02.2012
Position:  Midfield
Age: 31

 

 

 

 

Esteghlal

 

Jersey: 9

D.O.B: 16.Sep.1987
Born: Neka
Height: 177 cm
International Debut: Bahrain 12.Dec.12
Position:  Midfield
Age: 29

 

 

 

 

Amkar Perm (RUS)

 

Jersey: 6

D.O.B: 01.Oct.1996
Born: Bandar Anzali
Height: 190 cm
International Debut: Uzbekistan 11.Jun.15
Position:  Midfield

 

 

 

 

Saipa Alborz

 

 

Jersey: 24

D.O.B: 10.Mar.1996
Born: Namin
Height: 176 cm
International Debut: Sierra Leone 23.Mar.18
Position:   Midfield
Age: 22

 

 

 

 

SC Heerenveen (NED)

 

Jersey: 16

D.O.B: 20-Sep-87
Born: Mashad
Height: 180 cm
International Debut: Korea Rep 16.Oct.12
Position:  Forward
Age: 29

 

 

 

Olympiacos (GRC)

 

Jersey: 3

D.O.B: 25-Feb-90
Born: Kashan
Height: 168 cm
International Debut: Zambia 25.May.08
Position:  Midfield /Defender

 

 

 

 

AZ Alkmaar (NED)

 

Jersey: 18

D.O.B: 08.Oct.93
Born: Jirandeh
Height: 180 cm
International Debut: Lebanon 19.Nov.13
Position:  Midfield
Age: 23

 

 

 

 

 

Padidah

 

 

Jersey: 13

D.O.B: 11.May.91
Born: Tehran
Height: 184 cm
International Debut: Saudi Arabia 09.Dec.12
Position:  Defender
Age: 26

 

 

 

 

Terek Grozny(RUS)

 

Jersey: 5

D.O.B: 29.Sep.93
Born: Tehran
Height: 178 cm
International Debut: Uzbekistan 11.Jun.2015
Position:  Defender
Age: 23

 

 

 

 

Esteghlal

 

Jersey: 15

D.O.B: 09.Sep.83
Born: Abadan
Height: 186 cm
International Debut: China 19.Dec.08
Position:  Defender
33

 

 

 

Al Sadd (QAT)

 

Jersey: 8

D.O.B: 19.Apr.92 
Born: Babol
Height: 185 cm
International Debut: Iraq 04.Jan.15
Position:  Defender / Midfield
03.Sep.2015
Position:  Forward
Age: 25

 

 

K.V. Oostende (BEL)

 

Jersey: 23

D.O.B: 21.Mar.90   
Born: Sari
Height: 183 cm
International Debut: Guam 03.Sep.2015
Position:  Defender / Midfield
Age: 27

 

 

 

AEK Athens (GRC)

 

Jersey: 7

D.O.B: 09.Jun.84 
Born: Shiraz
Height: 184 cm
International Debut: Laos 17.Nov.2004
Position:  Midfield
Age: 33

 

 

Al Gharafa (QAT)

 

Jersey: 17

D.O.B: 18.Jul.92 
Born: Bushehr
Height: 186 cm
International Debut: Uzbekistan 11.Jun.2015
Position:  Forward
Age: 25

 

 

 

Saipa Alborz

 

Jersey: 16

D.O.B: 10.Sep.93
Born: Karaj
Height: 185 cm
International Debut: Uzbekistan 11.Jun.2015
Position:  Midfield
Age: 23

 

 

HEAD COACH

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Team Melli’s World Cup moments of glory.

1978: Danaeifard snatches a point against favoured Scotland

Iran qualified for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina after going unbeaten in their AFC qualifying campaign. They had failed to reach the tournament Finals in their first attempt four years earlier, but Ghafour Jahani’s solitary strike in a 1-0 win over Australia secured Team Melli’s World Cup berth with one match to spare.

Drawn into a difficult group containing Peru, the Netherlands, and Scotland, many believed that the Central Asians were simply there to make up the numbers. A 3-0 loss to eventual finalists Netherlands did not help matters, with Rob Rensenbrink storming to a hat-trick in the teams’ opening match. In their second game against Scotland, things went from bad to worse when Andranik Eskandarian bundled the ball past his own goalkeeper to give Scotland a first half lead.

Instead of letting their heads drop, IR Iran fought back and were eventually rewarded when Iraj Danaeifard skipped past Archie Gemmill and fired home from a narrow angle; the Iranians had finally scored in the World Cup. When the final whistle blew, there were jubilant celebrations, as Team Melli secured their first-ever point in a World Cup.

1998: First World Cup win

After a 1-0 defeat to Yugoslavia on Matchday One, IR Iran came into their tie against the United States knowing they needed a win to keep their qualification hopes alive.

An already-charged atmosphere ignited when Hamid Estili’s looping header over Kasey Keller gave his side the lead. Both teams then battled it out until the 83rd minute, when would-be Asian Footballer of the Year Mehdi Mahdavikia raced clear through on goal before firing past Keller to all but secure a win. Brian McBride then proceeded to pull one back for the US via a scrappy goal to set up a tense final few minutes.

In the end, IR Iran held out for their first World Cup win in five attempts. A 2-0 loss to Germany in their final Group F match saw Team Melli eliminated at the group stage yet again, but the night in Lyon will always be a fond memory for all Iranians.

2014: Heroic performance against Argentina

Team Melli’s return to the FIFA World Cup after missing out on the 2010 edition saw them pitted against eventual runners-up Argentina as well as Nigeria and debutants Bosnia and Herzegovina. After a stalemate in Curutiba against the then reigning African champions, it was time to face Lionel Messi and co on Matchday Two.

Going into the match as the clear underdogs, Carlos Queiroz’s men were not fazed by the opposition, matching the Argentinians in every area of the pitch in the opening period. Jalal Hosseini’s header just above the crossbar was as close as either team got to breaking the deadlock before the break.