Despite the excuses offered by Amir Ghalenoei to justify Iran’s defeat against Qatar, the evidence suggests he fell short in multiple areas, chief among them, player selection. Team Melli lost to the same Qatari side they had convincingly beaten 4-1 in their previous encounter. This time, however, Qatar was significantly weaker: fresh off a 3-1 loss to Kyrgyzstan and with their World Cup qualification hopes dashed, their morale was at rock bottom. The opportunity to exploit their vulnerability was clear, yet Iran failed miserably.
A combination of nostalgia, overconfidence, and questionable decision-making led Ghalenoei to field a lineup that, on paper, never looked capable of securing victory. Whether out of sentimentality (given his history with Al-Sadd) or misplaced faith in certain players, his choices backfired spectacularly. The result? A disjointed, uninspired performance riddled with amateurish errors and a glaring lack of tactical coherence.
A Predictable Outcome
The match followed a familiar script for those who have watched Ghalenoei’s Iran: rigid tactics, reliance on underperforming veterans, and a refusal to adapt. While Japan, Asia’s top-ranked team, experimented with nine new players in their loss to Australia, Ghalenoei stubbornly stuck with the same old faces and paid the price.
A coach resistant to criticism, Ghalenoei only seems to reconsider his approach after humiliating defeats. Yet, even then, his changes tend to be superficial rather than transformative. Many believe he will continue to favor aging, underperforming players unless forced by public pressure to make meaningful adjustments.
What Team Melli’s Lineup Should Be
Based on merit and current form, this is the starting XI Iran should field in upcoming matches against North Korea:
Starting XI:
- GK: Seyed Hossein Hosseini
- DEF: Sadegh Moharrami – Amin Hevbavi – Aref Aghasi – Omid Noorafkan
- MID: Mehdi Hasheminejad – Saman Ghoddos – Roozbeh Cheshmi
- ATT: Mehdi Taremi – Javad Hosseinnejad – Amir Hossein Hosseinzadeh
Players Who Should Be Dropped
- Alipour & Moghanlou: Neither has shown the consistency or impact required at this level.
- Khalilzadeh: Past his prime and prone to costly mistakes.
- Saleh Hardani: While dangerous as an attacking full-back, his defensive frailties are too glaring to ignore.
- Milad Mohammadi: His poor disciplinary record and declining form warrant exclusion. Simply pleading for forgiveness isn’t enough—Iran has plenty of alternatives who deserve a chance.
Time for Change
Ghalenoei must stop treating Team Melli as a retirement home for senior players. Iran has a wealth of emerging talent, but they need opportunities to prove themselves. If he continues down this path, the team’s stagnation will only deepen—and more humiliations will follow.