Category: News

Less than 24 hours from his resignation, Shamsaei returns!

Nothing in Iran’s football seems to work like the rest of the world. Nothing seems to be certain and the fans are becoming used to expecting the unexpected.

In the series of comical acts, Vahid Shamsaei resigned from his post as the head coach of the national futsal team on Tuesday after Mehdi Taj was elected as the new president of the Football Federation. Shamsai openly and honestly announced that his vote in the election was Mirshad Majdi’s rival Mehdi Taj, but he also said that he has no problem with Taj, Nabi, and Ghanbarzadeh and has great respect for them!
His justification for resigning, Shamsaei said: “Because I saw the past events of futsal with my own eyes and I want that honor to be preserved, I am leaving. ” The World leading futsal goalscorer had several disagreements with Taj during his presidency.

After this decision, some board members of FFIRI made some calls to Shamsai and asked him to reconsider his resignation. Among those who called Mehdi Taj, the newly elected president and the reason behind the resignation.

Somehow, Shamsaei withdrew his resignation in less than a day !!

Shamsaei will be on Iran’s bench in the AFC Futsal Cup 2022, which will be hosted by Kuwait in October. He will also travel to Thailand next week with the national team to participate in the country’s preparatory tournament.

Despite being a legendary figure in Iran’s futsal, Shamsaei is also known for his fits of anger, sulky attitude, and bemoaning character. His personality and weakness in dealing with hardship could be the Achilles heel of this coach.

Karim Ansarifard joins Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus

After a long dispute between AEK Athens and their Iranian forward, Karim Ansarifard finally settled for Omonia Nicosia in Cyprus. Ansarifard signed a two years contract yesterday with an option to extend for another year. Earlier on Tuesday, the Iranian center-forward was released by AEK, with the two sides deciding to end their partnership by mutual consent.

 Ansarifard departed to Cyprus while he had previously played for AEK Athens, Olympiakos, and Panionios in Greece.  The much-traveled player also played for Nottingham Forest (England), Osasuna (Spain), and Al Sailiya (Qatar)

 The Serbian head coach of AEK Athens, Vladan Milovic, who has a history of working with Ansarifard in AEK and Panionios, and has also coached the Cypriot Omonia team for a period, reacted to the transfer of the Iranian striker to Omonia and considered it a very positive event. Milovic said: “Karim is a footballer who is a team player and easily scores goals. He works for the team and is not one of those central strikers who only sees himself. in the field”
He added: “I worked with Ansarifard both in Panionios and AEK and we had good working relations. He is one of the best strikers I have coached.” Praising Ansarifard he stated: “He is a footballer with high experience and a lot of experience in big teams. Omonia was a very good choice. Karim will help a lot. He is an experienced footballer in his prime. With Karim on the field, the coach can play with all systems. He is a very smart kid.”
In the end, Milovic said: “Karim is a complete professional player. He is at the service of the team and always gives his life for the team both in training and in the game.”

Matias Almeida AEK current coach did not have him in his plans and decided to end the collaboration with him. Ansarifard had another year left on his contract with AEK and initially refused to leave.

Ansarifard played two seasons with AEK Athens playing  63 matches and scoring 17 goals, thirteen of which came in the first season 2021/22.

Omonia Nicosia is the most popular team in the island nation and has a passionate set of fans. Omonia is involved in UEFA Europa League this season and plays in a tough Group alongside Manchester United, Real Sociedad, and FC Sherief. Omonia will be hosting Manchester United in Nicosia on Oct, 6th.

Alireza Faghani on VAR system in Iran.

On the sidelines of the World Cup unveiling ceremony, Alireza Faghani, Iran’s international football referee said: “I am happy that we are one of the countries that have hosted this event and can take advantage of this opportunity. I hope this World Cup will be successful so that we can advance to the next round.”

“Our goal is to referee the Qatar FIFA World Cup final.

The most celebrated and successful Iranian international referee commented on his attendance of referees VAR system qualification: “I, along with my assistants, are the only Iranian referees who passed the course related to the use of video assistant referees VAR.
Regarding his refereeing in the domestic Premier League, he stated: “I can confirm that there have been negotiations in order for us to be available in the Premier League competitions and continue our activities.”

Faghani emphasized the need for VAR in the Premier League: If VAR comes with the current mindset, then nothing will change. When the mentalities and structure are not changed, problems will definitely remain in the league, and if some behaviors and thoughts are not corrected, this process and persistent protests to refereeing will continue.”

On the performance of young referees, he commented:” Just as the teams are focusing on youth, the refereeing community has also added some young referees. They make mistakes like veteran referees, but the point is that coaches need to treat young referees differently. These referees should be given a chance to express themselves.”

Taremi is pursued by Chelsea.

The Sun Newspaper
London 31.Aug.2022

CHELSEA are lining up a beat-the-deadline move for Porto strike sensation Mehdi Taremi, according to reports.

The Iran international bagged 26 goals in 48 games as his club won the Portuguese league and cup double last season.

Mehdi Taremi's stunning bicycle kick goal against Chelsea came second in the 2021 Puskas awards

1
Mehdi Taremi’s stunning bicycle kick goal against Chelsea came second in the 2021 Puskas awards

Stamford Bridge boss Thomas Tuchel is desperately seeking reinforcements following the Blues’ poor start to the season.

They lost 2-1 at Southampton on Tuesday to slump to eighth in the Premier League. And Lisbon sports daily A Bola claims the German has targeted 30-year-old Taremi.

Under contract until 2024, the frontman is valued at £22million. The Iran ace is likely to face England at the World Cup finals in November.

He has 58 caps and 27 goals for his country.

All told Taremi has an impressive 53 goals from 101 Porto appearances.
He hit a stunning bicycle-kick winner as Porto beat Chelsea 1-0 in the Champions League in April 2021, although the Blues won the quarter-final 2-1 on aggregate.

The Persian goal machine was a bargain £4.25m buy from Portuguese side Rio Ave in 2020.
He previously played for three Iranian clubs and Qatari side Al-Gharafa.

Meanwhile, a Portuguese source claimed that Concesaou, the Porto Head Coach has threatened to resign if yet another of his strikers is sold.

What does the election of Mehdi Taj means for Team Melli.

While the Iranian football circles are still stunned by the election of Mehdi Taj and many in the media believed he does not stand a chance of being approved due to legislation against him in courts and various other issues that deemed his candidacy as unlawful, Taj not only registered his name but also won. The ripples have already started.

As soon as he was announced as the new leader of FFIRI, Vahid Shamsaei resigned just a month before Iran’s Futsal Team Melli starts its defense of the title. Soon after Shamsaei, Mostafa Nazari, the goalkeepers’ coach also followed in resignation.

In Football’s Team Melli, Vahid Hashemian has been rumored to contemplate the same action, while Dragan Skocic is once again on his toes on Team Melli’s hot seat.

While Misrshad Majedi confirmed Skocic’s position as head coach and he is still one of the biggest supporters, Mehdi Taj was rumored to be instrumental in the agitation moves and calls for the return of Carlos Queiroz. During the polarization of Team Melli in the last few weeks, Taj remained inconspicuous and tight-lipped about any issues related to the FFIRI, but it was no secret that he was active behind the scenes in driving the demands of Carlos Queiroz’s to return to Team Melli.

Mehdi Taj has been active in Iran’s football for decades and has a strong lobby too.  He is a man who went through many governmental posts in Esfahan province. His career progression is all through the regime’s organizations. In football, he was the chairman of Sepahan for many years and was a strong leader who propelled the club from Esfahan to new heights including winning the league titles and reaching the AFC Champions League.

The election in FFIRI is nothing different than other elections in the rest of the country mainly the election of the President of the Republic. It is all well orchestrated and the results can be predictable. The formalities, the process, and the motions are all pre-determined and nicely engineered.

Taj’s rap sheet and still pending issue with Marc Wilmots is perhaps his biggest shortfall. He has never been transparent about the contract, selection process, and the payments to the big failure Wilmots. As he did not play any role in the selection of Skocic, because he was out of action, he has no affinity for the Croat and much prefers to work with the devil he knows, namely Queiroz. However, time is the biggest factor that is against this union. Queiroz himself left Iran in distress and bitterness. He later accused and bad-mouth several people in Iran including the Ministry of Sports. He left very few friends in the country. One of those who was a victim of Queiroz onslaught was no one but Mehdi Taj himself.

The outspoken Portuguese is well aware of how politics works in Iran’s football and he knows who has the keys. If Mehdi Taj comes calling and is seriously desperate, Queiroz contracts and other demands could be prohibitive or beyond the abilities of Taj.

There are players in Team Melli who supported Taj and will be happy to see him back at the helm of the federation, however, the man remains a polarizing and divisive figure. Undoubtedly, he has the strong backing of the regime and access to many government agencies and ministries. It remains to be seen whether he will use that support wisely to the benefit of football in general, or try to strengthen his grip on a shambolic federation that for decades has failed in achieving what football deserves.

A shock in Iran football. Mehdi Taj selected as head of FFIRI!

In the election of Iran’s Football Federation which was held this morning, rank outsider Mehdi Taj managed to win the presidency of this federation with more than double the votes of the incumbent acting head  Mirshad Majedi.

The man that left the federation under a cloud of accusations, claims of corruption, and nepotism and was legally pursued by several entities managed to dodge all the legal obstacles to his nomination. Reservation on his candidacy by clubs, a horde of managers, coaches, and players were all to no avail as Taj registered his name as a candidate for the presidency and comfortably won the hot seat about three years after he left it in tatters.  Shahabuddin Azizi Khadem who replaced Taj was fired from the post after less than a year in FFIRI.

The elections of the Football Federation started on Tuesday morning. Mehdi Taj, Azizullah Mohammadi, and Mirshad Majdi were the candidates for the presidency of the Football Federation. On vote counting, Mehdi Taj won 50 votes. The current acting head of FFIRI  Mirshad Majedi received 25 votes while Azizullah Mohammadi got 4 votes only.

On May 7, 2016, the last occasion where Mehdi Taj contested the elections, he won with 50 votes out of a total of 73 votes received at the Football Federation Assembly. He resigned from his post on December 29th, 2019 claiming health issues and a mild heart attack.

The first reaction to Taj’s return was the immediate resignation of the Head Coach of Team Melli’s futsal team.

Vahid Shamsaei that is in the midst of preparing the Futsal team to defend its Asian title in Kuwait, submitted his resignation in protest. Close associates informed the press that Shamsaei refuses to work with Taj and be associated with anything that Taj is involved in.

The full state of Hull City’s injury curse revealed as Allahyar undergoes surgery

Shota Arveladze has revealed Iranian international Allahyar Sayyadmanesh is likely to miss the next month of action at least, after pulling up with a hamstring problem in Tuesday night’s 1-1 draw at Burnley.

The youngster has impressed in the early weeks of the Championship season, but his enforced absence will be a real blow to the Tigers, who are already without key performers like Jean Michael Seri, Ryan Longman, Brandon Fleming, and Greg Docherty.

The prognosis on Allahyar Sayyadmanesh’s torn hamstring is less positive, however, with the Iranian striker undergoing surgery in London earlier this week. Allahyar is likely to be sidelined for around three months putting his hopes of appearing at this winter’s World Cup in Qatar in serious jeopardy.

This bad news comes at the time that Allahyar was one of the certain candidates for inclusion in the squad for Qatar. Iran will be playing two friendly games against Uruguay and Senegal in Austria that Sayyadmanesh will definitely miss.

Iranian female fans allowed entry into Azadi Stadium

About 500 Esteghlali female fans were allowed entry into Azadi Stadium in the third week of the Persian Gulf Premier League game.

Esteghlal played Mes Kerman on Thursday in the first match of the third week of the premier football league. This match is the first appearance of women in League games as excited female spectators arraives at the gates of Azadi Stadium as early as three hours before the game’s kick-off. 500 tickets were allocated for the women’s section and were sold on the spot, but over 50 female fans were unable to get tickets. This group gathered around the entrance gate number 21 on the east side of Azadi Stadium in the hope of gaining entry.

It is reported that 30 of the female fans who did not hold tickets, finally managed to sneak in with the help of the gatekeepers and staff. While some lucky ladies were able to enter Azadi Stadium by different means, nearly 20 of them failed despite their efforts. Meanwhile, some crooks took advantage of the women’s desperation to attend the match in Azadi Stadium and sold men’s section tickets, while these tickets were of no use to the women.

Before the start of the game, the female fans strongly cheered Esteghlal players. Also, Esteghlal Head Coach Sapinto and Esteghlal’s bench walked towards the females’ section before the kickoff, where they were greeted by the cheering female fans. During the game, the men cheered on both sides of the stadium with the help of the women. In addition to cheering for the late Esteghlal coach Mansoor Pourheidari in the 22nd minute,

It was a momentous occasion for the female fans of Esteghlal who finally managed to break the ban, albeit thanks to the threat by FIFA to suspend Iran football for breaking its regulation by not allowing women into stadiums.

Although allocating 500 seats for females in a 100,000-capacity stadium seems to be lacking, it is a good start for the passionate Iranian female fans who were colorful and cheering, energizing the stadium despite their small numbers.

Team Melli Squad: Who is going to make it to Qatar?

No doubt that the Croat Head Coach of Team Melli is experiencing the busiest and the most important days of his coaching career as he prepares the list of passengers to Doha comes November of this year.

Skocic has only one window and that is FIFA Day in September to decide his final list probably after the Uruguay and Senegal matches.  While some of the players automatically have reserved their names on board the flight to Qatar others who played in the qualification might not be so assured of a place.

In this article, we will discuss individual players’ chances and any reasons that the coaching team might find crucial to include the player while discussing the reasons why some are dispensable. Like always, not every justification for selection or not is pure football related. Other factors always weigh in and in a country like Iran with political and social sensitivity, the reasons for exclusion are aplenty.

GOALKEEPERS

  1. Alireza Beiranvand: His inclusion will all depend on his club form with Persepolis and whether Golmohammadi picks him to be his number one in Persepolis. His shaky foreign adventure does not augur well for inclusion in the World Cup squad. His work in Iran will determine his incusion  50%
  2. Amir ABEDZADEH: Despite one or two errors, Abdezadeh remains as the number one keeper. His good start in Spain should enhance his chances too. 80%
  3. Hossein Hosseini: Lacks consistency with a standard that can vary between the brilliance to the ridiculous clumsy. However, he remains a contender for the squad. 55%
  4. Payam Niazmand: A young goalkeeper who did not have a syuccesful trial in Europe and his short stint ended as he is back with Sepahan. Like Beiranvand, he really needs to excel to convince Skocic of his worth. 45%

DEFENDER

  1. Aref AGHASI: Steady defender who defends with confidence. Lacks international exposure which is quite important for the World Cup. He has however many challengers for his post in Team Melli 45%
  2. Aref GHOLAMI: Similar to  Aghasi’s case with little international experience. He is a solid defender that can be a competent replacement when needed. 45%
  3. Danial ESMAEILIFAR: Although made his debut for Team Melli at a late age, his strong showing in last season’s league convinced the selectors of his value. The World Cup might be too difficult of a target for him. 35%
  4. Ehsan HAJSAFI: The long-serving versatile player has been ever present for Team Melli. However, as time passes and circumstances change Hajisafi’s chances of making his 3rd World Cup in a row is quite dim. Not only he is in the rebel group, but he has also been utilized less and less in recent matches.  It is difficult to see him included in the last 26 players list. 45%
  5. Hossein KANANI-ZADEGAN: Despite his off-the-field antics, which put him in trouble with the authorities, he remains a strong defender and reliable player for the team. His chances are enhanced with his good performance in the new season in Qatar. 85%
  6. Majid HOSSEINI: Improving with age and experience gained in the Turkish League. He might not be a fixed player in the lineup but quite an important bench that Skocic can call upon in case of injury to any of his defenders. 75% 
  7. Mehdi MEHDIPOUR: A good utility player that has impressed with his club. As a newcomer, he has little exposure at the international level so it is quite possible that he will not be on the list. 48%
  8. Milad MOHAMMADI: Perhaps the left-back did not have the best of time in the Greek League but he is still a solid defender with a pace that is important when facing the like of England. 75%
  9. Morteza Pouralganji: Has been absent for a long time due to injury. His return back to Iran from the Chinese league will only serve to enhance his chances for inclusion on the list. 67#
  10. Omid NOORAFKAN: One of the players who has solidified his place in the squad. Has performed strongly and remains one of the best players for his club Sepahan. 85%
  11. Sadegh MOHARRAMI: Limited time with Dynamo Zagreb but Moharrami has qualities that are needed for the team. His weaknesses could be troublesome but in the end, he remains a determined and highly motivated player. 78%
  12. Saleh HARDANI: The right-back is one of the players that have a great future. In the style of Kaebi, he has pace and agility that can surprise the opposition. His selection depends on the number of defenders Skocic needs in the squad. 55%
  13. Shojaa KHALILZADEH: One of the key players but injury prone. Not enjoying the start of the news season as his team is right at the bottom of the league in Qatar. His value for Team Melli though is undeniable. 80%

MIDFIELD

  1. Ahmad NOUROLLAHI: One player that keeps improving and should be in the squad without much doubt. He has enough experience to face the big teams in the World Cup 80%
  2. Ali GHOLIZADEH: Tacticsl, nifty and skillful dribbler. The qualities that are needed to break defenses. Has a tendency to disappear from the action at times in some games, but still a classy player 80%
  3. Alireza JAHANBAKHSH: has been nothing but disappointment in Europe, although his Team Melli games have not suffered. As one of the rebels, he might end up missing the World Cup, but Skocic will miss his experiences in case he is overlooked. 55%
  4. Mehdi Torabi: A player with so much promise but has not achieved his potential yet. He remains a fringe player in team Melli but also a player that enriches the bench. 60%
  5. Milad SARLAK: Good and solid midfielder who has not disappointed when he was asked to play for the Team. The only problem for selection remains the numbers that the selectors will decide for each of the lines. 45%
  6. Omid EBRAHIMI: A player that has been recently recalled to Team Melli after being overlooked. His undoubted skills, work rate, and dynamics are a delight to see and something that coaches always welcome from a player. 75%
  7. Ramin REZAEIAN: Another player that has been ignored mostly due to disciplinary issues. He has started very well with Sepahan and has shown much of his skills and abilities during the start of the season. A  strong contender for a place in Doha. 60%
  8. Saeid EZZATOLLAHI :  Another of the disappointing players who never achieved stability. Keeps changing clubs every season. His standard has been affected and shows a lack of consistency during the games, He does however has a physical presence that is quite useful at the International level. 40%
  9. Saman GHODDOS: A bench player for his club. Never achieved the grade with two seasons in the English Premiere league. Little Match time to check his standards 45&
  10. Soroush RAFIEI: The player is making a strong case for his inclusion. He is on the brink and stands a fair chance. 50%
  11. Vahid AMIRI: One of the key players for Team Melli. Suffered a long injury and has not played yet for Persepolis in the League. The progress of his injury is sketchy. He might not recover in time for inclusion but if he is fit and goes through the tough training then Amiri is a must for Team Melli. 70%
  12. Yasin SALMANI: This young player and leader is the talk of the town in Iran football. He has yet to make his debut for Team Melli but has played and captained the Omid team. Lack of international experience is his only weakness. Despite that, his chances are better than fair to be on the list. 57%

FORWARD

  1. Ali ALIPOUR: A player that is making a good case to be included in the squad. He started the season with a winning goal and if he continues his good form, it will force the selectors to include him. 50%
  2. Allahyar SAYYADMANESH: Another of the young guns that lay a claim for inclusion in the list. He has not been playing well at the start of the season for his club and that might put his chances in jeopardy. 55%
  3. Amir Hossein HOSSEINZADEH: Yet another young talent. The same rules and limitations apply here too. Simply lack of international exposure rather than anything else. 53% 
  4. Karim ANSARIFARD: A player that has failed to impress for many seasons now. Apqrt fpor cameo apperances for Team Melli, he is also unwanted by his club who are desperate to get rid of him. He did not endear himself to the head coach either being in the rebel group of players. 40%
  5. Kaveh Rezaei: Recently moved back to the Iranian league. Due to administrative issues, he is not yet registered to play and hence did not play yet. Difficult to see him on the plane unless he makes it good in the league this season. 40%
  6. Mehdi GHAEDI: Back with Esteghlal and strongly too. Ghaedi cannot be a starter for Team Melli for many reasons but specifically his weak physique. But as a substitute, he can be useful if he can stand the tackles of the English and Welsh players in particular. 68%
  7. Mehdi TAREMI: If there is any doubt about this player, it is his demeanor and attitude. He led the rebellion against Skocic and was outspoken about it. To be fair, that should exclude him from Team Melli automatically as he will be a disruptive element in the team that requires unity and harmony. It all depends on how SKocic will approach this big problem and whether Taremi maintains respect for the coach, especially behind his back. His chances for inclusion are neutral because of his attitude, else he is a key player on the field. 51%
  8. Mehrdad MOHAMMADI: Despite a good start for his team in Qatar, he has struggled lately in a league that demands a lot from foreigners. 45%
  9. Sardar AZMOUN: A key player and indespensible. He has been having off-the-field problems lately that have surely affected his concentration. Azmoun remains one of the best Team Melli players and a player that has scored crucial goals. 90%

We have picked 26 players that have the best chance of making it to the World Cup. We have excluded players such as Ansarifard, Hajsafim Ezatollahi, and Saman Ghoddos. The last word and decision are of course with Dragan Skocic and his coaching staff. There will no doubt be some developments,  circumstances, changes in priorities, and the usual interferences that will affect the issue. We believe that the biggest hurdle that Skocic needs to tackle is to regain the player’s confidence and minimize or completely bypass the disruptive elements. That is easier said than done. How he manages the rebels if and only if he decides to select them is crucial for Team Melli. chances

World Cup i is an arena where Men rather than boys perform and show their worth. The emphasis must be on the unity of the Team and everyone playing for Iran and the fans not to promote themselves and their interests.,

The Welsh rating Wales chances in the FIFA World Cup 2022.

How Far Can Wales Go at the Upcoming World Cup?

The Welsh, or their media at least, seemed to be hyped up for the World Cup. As usual in the football press in the West, their groundwork and background knowledge is quite poor as they seem to gauge and judge the opposition on the number of footballers playing in the English Premier League rather than proper analysis and knowledge of the team. This Welsh reporter’s article highlights the lack of depth when he considers USA Team’s chances above Iran because of two American footballers one playing with Juventus and the other in Chelsea !!

When the unfortunate Andriy Yarmolenko nodded into his own net after a wicked Gareth Bale freekick, Wales could finally return to the FIFA World Cup after 62 long years. But how far can the Dragons truly go? Oddschecker, which provides free offers for online casinos and sportsbooks, doesn’t rate Robert Page’s men’s chances very highly. Admittedly no one expects the FIFA World Cup trophy to be paraded around the streets of Cardiff a few days before Christmas, but Wales are priced alongside the likes of Serbia, Canada, and Ecuador in terms of outright betting.

That won’t bother Bale and co. one bit though. We all recall the summer of 2016 in France. During that European Championship campaign, Wales was also unfancied. They went on to top a group containing England, Russia, and Slovakia. After that, they edged out a 1-0 victory over Northern Ireland in the last 16, before the greatest result in the country’s history in the quarter-finals. That was, of course, the 3-1 victory over tournament favorites Belgium. Goals from captain Ashley Williams, Hal Robson-Kanu, and Sam Vokes were enough to seal a 3-1 victory over Roberto Martinez’s men, with the nation celebrating the victory long into the night.

Eventual winners Portugal would prove one step too far in the semifinal, cruising to a 2-0 victory. But is there anything stopping Wales from achieving a similar result in Qatar?

Getting out of the group should be the primary objective

Once again, Wales have been drawn alongside old rivals England in the group stages. The other two sides in Group B are Iran and USA. On paper, the draw could have been much worse. Admittedly, the Three Lions are the favorites to secure the top spot. But, Robert Page will be looking at the other two nations as beatable. To be fair, even England isn’t impenetrable. Wales gave them all they could handle at Euro 2016, even leading through Bale’s thunderous freekick at the halfway mark. It took Daniel Sturridge’s last gasp winner to break Welsh hearts, but don’t count them out on gaining revenge for that day in Lens.

Photo credit : Hostpry of Soccer
Photo credit: History Of Soccer

Iran are the obvious weak link in the group, and victory against Dragan Skočić’s side is imperative if there is to be a success.

The US, however, are a much trickier opponent. They boast the likes of Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic and Juventus’ Weston McKennie in their ranks, and they are expected to progress from the group stages at Wales’ expense. That fixture between the pair on the World Cup’s opening day is most definitely winnable though. And if Wales does win that game, it is highly likely that they will progress to the knockout stages.

Progress, and who knows where from there? 

If Wales can somehow make their way out of the group stages, it’s highly likely that it will be as group runners-up. That would probably set up a last-16 tussle with either Senegal or the Netherlands.

Senegal is the reigning champions of Africa, an honor they earned by defeating Mohamed Salah’s Egypt on penalties in Cameroon this winter to seal their first ever Africa Cup of Nations victory. Spearheaded by Bayern Munich’s new boy Sadio Mane, the Lions of Teranga would provide a stern test in the second round.

The Netherlands would also be quite the challenge. Wales, however, can take solace from the fact that the Oranje were eliminated at the same stage during last summer’s delayed European Championships. Second-half goals from Tomáš Holeš and Patrik Schick were enough to seal a 2-0 victory for the Czech Republic in Budapest and if the Red Dragons are to face Virgil Van Dijk and co, you can expect them to study that match in detail to prepare for the showdown.

Should Wales progress beyond the last 16, the tournament will have already been a rousing success. Anything further than that and we should all just enjoy the ride, as we all have already been doing throughout the last decade, the most successful era in the history of Welsh football.