When Iran won the Asian Cup 1n 1968, it had a young inexperienced team but with youthful energy and a great fighting spirit in addition to skills required to win the top title in Asia. It was indeed a milestone and a great achievement for such a young team. If you look at the team in 1968, there was only one player who was over 30 years of age, and that was the goalkeeper, Aziz Asli. The average age of the team was 24 years that included stars like Parviz Ghleechkhani (21), Ali Jabbari (20), Gholamhossein Farzami (22) , Homayoun Behzadi (21). The irony is that the two most senior outfield players, Hasan Habibi (29) and Mostafa Arab (26) were not even 30 !

Not only the won their first Asian Cup with an average age of 24, but their international experience was also quite modest too with an average appearance (caps) of 14 matches only.

Today, Team Melli consists of majority of players who are over 30 years, and a coach who does not consider the national team as a place for young Iranian talents. A coach who prefers older, experienced and trusted players to do the job, that they have failed on many occasions several time over.

In fact, Ghalenoei’s team is not radically different from the team that lost 3-0 to Japan in the semi-final of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 under Queiroz. Four years have passed in which Iranian football has failed to produce quality player to replace the older ones. Or is that a fact? No one is talking about a radical overhaul of the team, but a gradual calculated introduction of young players into the senior ranks like other national teams should be the strategy.

There are several problems preventing the implementation of career progression for the massive amount of talented young footballers in Iran.

Since the revolution, Iran has suffered an acute shortage of skilled managers and a major decline in management skills and standards. In addition, complete mentality changes in style and objectives, whereby football and the rest of sports in Iran, are there to serve the purposes and principals of the regimes rather that sporting principles and pride of the nation.

 Managers, coaches, clubs and federation administrators are carefully vetted before taking up their job in this totally government-controlled environment of Iranian sports. Rest assured that Amir Ghalenoei has been filtered and approved by the hierarchy. But how is this related to the youth in Team Melli ?

After the civil unrest following Mahsa Amini’s death while in the custody of the notorious virtue patrols, an arm of Iranian government security apparatus, the main drivers of this civil uprising were the youth. They led the rebellion, openly expressed their anger and defied the archaic authoritarian system which resulted in some of them being executed and thousands other incarcerated. The youth of Iran have this natural rebellion feeling and want to revolt against what they see as injustice, lack of personal freedom and are tired of being imposed upon in every walk of life.  Whenever they can, they display signs of dissent whether in their attire, looks, tattoos or social media expression.

The regime is wary of the youth and their potential for troublemaking. Naturally, Team Melli selectors and especially a pious and conformist coach such as Ghalenoei, will follow the party line by being less inclined to pick younger players. It is certainly not for the lack of quality of younger players.

Team Melli 2022 Team Melli 1968