Tag: Portugal

Munir El Haddadi appeals to switch to Morocco

10 April 2018, 16:29

Deportivo Alaves forward Munir El Haddadi has appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in his bid to switch allegiance from Spain to Morocco.

CAS said in a statement that Munir had appealed jointly with the Moroccan Football Federation (FMF) after Fifa turned down his request on March 13.

The appeal included a request for a decision by mid-May “in order for the player’s sporting nationality to be decided prior to the commencement of the Fifa 2018 World Cup,” said CAS.

Fifa rules bar players from switching allegiance once they have played a competitive international even if they hold dual nationality.

Munir, 22, made a single appearance for Spain, in a European championship qualifier against Macedonia in September 2014, when he came on as a substitute and played less than 15 minutes.

“This was my decision and I knew what I was doing. Since I was young I have played in Spain and this was my idea,” said Munir at the time. “I spoke with people in Morocco and told them that I wanted to play here instead.”

Munir, who was born in Spain and has a Moroccan father, was raised at Barcelona’s famous youth academy where he made his professional debut and is currently on loan at Alaves.

He has also spent one season on loan at Valencia.

Fifa’s stakeholders committee is studying a proposal to make the rules more flexible in such cases.

Cape Verde’s football federation suggested the rule be relaxed in cases where the player has played only one or two games for his original national side but has no realistic chance of a recall.

“It’s a good time to have a look at this and see if there are solutions, without hurting the integrity of the game,” said Victor Montagliani, head of the stakeholders committee, in October.

Spain and Morocco have been drawn in the same group at the World Cup alongside Portugal and Iran.

“Iran is facing its biggest challenge in history” Queiroz

“We’ve been drawn in the toughest group in the World Cup. Morocco are the best African team and the team’s results in the last two years speak for themselves. They have not conceded goals and claimed the African Nations Championship,” Queiroz said in an interview with Khabar Varzeshi sports daily.

“Spain and Portugal are also favorites to win the title. To book a place in the next stage is the biggest challenge in Iran’s football history,” the former Real Madrid coach added.  

“We will play at the World Cup for our pride, that’s why I am here and I believe that those who don’t back the idea are the people who don’t respect Iran’s football,” the Portuguese coach stated.

“For us, to be in knockout stage means conquering Mt Everest. This is the highest mount in front of Iran’s football and all of coaches and officials must take it seriously,” Queiroz concluded.  

Iran have been drawn in Group B along with Morocco, Spain and Portugal.

The Persians will kick off the campaign with a match against Morocco at Saint Petersburg on June 15.

Team Melli, meanwhile, face Spain in Kazan on 20 June before meeting Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal in Saransk five days later.

How Carlos Queiroz turned Iran into Asia’s best World Cup hope

The former Manchester United coach eased the Iranians through qualification but they now want tangible finals success, something that has always eluded Team Melli

Sardar Azmoun, Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Reza Ghoochannejhad
 Sardar Azmoun, Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Reza Ghoochannejhad. Composite: Getty Images, AFP

The only one of the dozen names on Fifa’s shortlist for 2017 men’s coach of the year not working in Europe was Tite, who ensured Brazil were the first qualifier for the 2018 World Cup. Iran were second but that was not enough for Carlos Queiroz, who has now led three different national teams to four World Cups. He may have to wait for success at the World Cup to turn eurocentric heads.

That means finishing above two of Portugal, Spain and Morocco in Russia to progress to the knockout stage at the fifth time of asking. If there is any Asian team that can manage that then it is Iran. For four years Team Melli have been the highest-ranked national side on the continent, for just a little less time they have been the best on the pitch, too.

In Brazil four years ago Queiroz, whose six years as number two at Manchester United in the previous decade was split by a season in charge of Real Madrid, had the team well-organised in a tough group containing Nigeria, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Argentina. A last-minute piece of Messi magic ended Iranian dreams of a first second-round appearance at the fourth attempt but Team Melli picked themselves off the floor. Now they are just as tight at the back but have more options going forward, younger overall but with more international experience.

Nine of the 23 who went to Brazil were based overseas but mainly spread around the Middle East and the second tiers of the big European leagues. The figure will be higher this time around, the leagues and performances are better and the players more active.

The winger Alireza Jahanbakhsh could mount a case – when he is not busy scoring and creating for AZ Alkmaar – to be the best player in the Netherlands this season. The £9m quoted a year ago in response to reported interest from Burnley, Watford and Bournemouth would be considerably higher now, especially with Napoli also monitoring him. The fleetfooted forward Reza Ghoochannejhad managed 19 goals for Heerenveen last season while the striker Karim Ansarifard has almost a goal a game for Olympiakos.

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Sardar Azmoun is one of Asia’s biggest stars at 23, has already scored in the Champions League for Rubin Kazan and has been linked with Liverpool. Young midfielders Saeid Ezatolahi in Russia and Saman Ghoddos of Östersund are looking forward to making the next step up the European ladder and a successful World Cup can’t do any harm.

The improvement was there for all to see in qualification for this summer’s finals. Qualification for Brazil was in doubt until the final whistle of the final game which blew to bring relief, Iranian gestures and swear words at the rival bench and South Korean bottles flying down from the terraces. There was no such drama this time. The road to Russia was pleasantly boring – words that do not usually go together in this football crazy country. Qualification quickly became a foregone conclusion and was made official with two games to spare.

Iran did not lose and did not even concede until the 10th and final game. It was vindication for Queiroz who took the reins in 2011, months after guiding Portugal to the last 16 in South Africa. The 65-year-old not only has everything running exactly how he wants on the pitch, he can be busy off it too.

Whether due to his nature, Sir Alex Ferguson’s nurture or cold calculation – or a combination of all three – he likes to keep everyone on their toes by creating tension. In qualification for 2014 he quarrelled with rival coaches, but these days his ire is focused closer to home. There was a big fallout with Iran’s coach from the 2006 World Cup, Branko Ivankovic, now in charge of champions Persepolis, which led to Queiroz resigning amid accusations that the Iranian Football Federation (IFF) was not giving the support he needed.

Officials in Tehran can find it all a little bewildering but know that Queiroz brings success. At least two of the other four Asian qualifiers were curious as to whether last January’s resignation was genuine. It wasn’t.

He is also vocal when it comes to preparations, warning the federation to ensure that all that can be done is being done. Before Brazil four years ago international isolation made it difficult at times to arrange decent games. Sanctions also made it tough for the IFF to receive monies owed from abroad and so afford the overseas training camps that Queiroz wanted. Preparation for Russia has improved but there is still some way to go. Togo, Panama, Venezuela, Syria, Turkey, Tunisia and Sierra Leone present decent opposition but do not really compare to Brazil, Belgium, Italy, Germany and Colombia, who have been lined up by fellow Asian qualifiers Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia and Australia. No wonder Queiroz talks of these Asian powerhouses enjoying “World Cup credit cards” that provide automatic access.

Despite the tough draw, Iran are looking forward to this June and showing the world what they are made of. If all goes well, a host of talented players may get the chance to move to bigger clubs in bigger leagues, a ready-to-take-off domestic market with a large, young and passionate population may just get the spark and investment it needs, and Queiroz may just get the recognition he deserves.

 

Since you’re here …

Portuguese from Man Utd enforcer to Mr. World Cup

 

Carlos Queiroz was once Alex Ferguson’s formidable number two at Manchester United, but he has now carved out a new reputation: the man who can take your team to the World Cup.

After Queiroz’s Iran became only the second team to qualify for Russia 2018, he is savouring the unique feat of reaching four World Cups with three different teams.

It’s a record that hasn’t gone unnoticed, with Asian champions Australia reportedly interested in Queiroz’s services once Ange Postecoglou departs next year.

“I feel very proud and honoured with that (World Cup) achievement,” the grizzled Portuguese told AFP by telephone. “Other coaches have qualified four times but not with different teams.”

The former Real Madrid boss has now qualified with South Africa in 2002, Portugal in 2010 — leading them to the last 16 — and now twice with Iran, after he also took them to Brazil 2014.

Carlos Queiroz has achieved the unique feat of reaching four World Cups with three different teams, including South Africa, Portugal and IranplayCarlos Queiroz has achieved the unique feat of reaching four World Cups with three different teams, including South Africa, Portugal and Iran

(AFP/File)

This month’s 2-0 win over Uzbekistan made Iran the first Asian team to qualify for Russia, clinching top spot in Group A with two games to spare — and without a single goal conceded in 720 minutes of football.

On top of that, Iran, who will now contest back-to-back World Cups for the first time, have been Asia’s number one team in the FIFA rankings for four years, helped by a growing number of players succeeding in Europe.

Walter Winterbottom took England to four successive World Cups starting from 1950, a record that was equalled by West Germany’s Helmut Schon from 1966 to 1978. Oscar Tabarez could also make it four with Uruguay if the South Americans reach Russia.

But nobody has done it with three different countries, apart from Mozambique-born Queiroz.

“To do it with these different countries, cultures and mentalities is at least, unique,” Queiroz said. “Each country has its own challenges, its own strengths and weaknesses.”

‘Football animal’

The 64-year-old became Iran coach in 2011 and has weathered cultural and logistical difficulties to find success with Team Melli, helped by the talent the country produces and the passion of the fans.

“The fans love the team and the excitement they provide is special,” said Queiroz. “When we play at home the atmosphere is great and there can be 100,000 fans. When we qualified, there were celebrations in Tehran all night.”

Among Queiroz’s players is Reza Ghoochannejhad, who was the second highest goalscorer in the Dutch league in the 2016-2017 season with 20 goals for Heerenveen.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh has also impressed in the Netherlands with AZ Alkmaar, and Karim Ansarifard is with Greek giant Olympiakos.

Then there are two highly-rated young stars in Russia: striker Sardar Azmoun and midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi, with both expected to head to one of the bigger European leagues this summer.

It all adds up to a formidable squad and coaching staff.

“Carlos Queiroz and his colleagues have done so much for Team Melli,” Ali Daei, a legend of Iranian football and former national team coach, told FIFA’s official homepage.

“One of the most important things he’s done is bringing in so many young players and changed the major players of the team.”

Although Queiroz is attracting interest from other federations, he says he hasn’t yet decided whether he will go for a fifth World Cup with a fourth national team.

“I have been coaching for a long time,” said Queiroz, who led Portugal’s U20 team to successive World Cup titles in 1989 and 1991. “I don’t really want to think what happens after the next World Cup.

“If this football animal is still biting me in the stomach then I can continue. I want to feel happy. If I can still make a contribution then maybe.”

First comes the challenge of taking Iran to Russia, and improving on their winless showing in Brazil.

“That is the ambition and starting from now, that is the objective we are working towards,” he said. “With the right preparation then we have the talent to make an impact.”

“We Will Not Go to Russia as Tourists” Carlos Queiroz

John Duerden

Carlos Queiroz has been making history this week with Iran, and he wants to do so again next summer.

On June 12, Team Melli, as the national team is known, qualified for the World Cup — the first time they’ll be in back-to-back competitions — and now their sights are set on a debut appearance in the knockout stages.

Not long before midnight at the iconic Azadi Stadium in Tehran, the Mozambique-born manager was thrown into the air by his squad of Iranian players after they had defeated Uzbekistan 2-0. It was in recognition of a perfect World Cup qualification campaign and their being second only to Brazil in booking a berth in Russia.

“The atmosphere and excitement of the fans were great. They deserve this,” Queiroz told ESPN FC.

Iran deserve it too, and have been dominant in the third round of qualification, doing the job with two of the ten games still to play. Not only are Iran unbeaten, but not once has the defence been breached. Perhaps most impressive was that all knew a win at home to Uzbekistan would be enough for a ticket to Russia, and all expected exactly that would happen. This is a team that delivers.

“We tried not to think about the World Cup, not to play two games in the same game,” said Queiroz who was appointed in 2011. “We just wanted to focus on Uzbekistan, just win the game and collect the points. No doubt we were the best team on the pitch and fortunately we won. Someone needs to win in football, and it was us.”

After four years in which Iran was Asia’s highest-ranked team according to FIFA, few would argue that this team is the best on the pitch, the only one of any of the traditional continental powerhouses to shine consistently in qualification.

Despite that, Queiroz believes Iran still has work to do.

“I think that, honestly, there are two competitions in Asia,” said the former Real Madrid and Portugal boss. “The stats and the real competition. From a data point of view, the numbers show that we are the No. 1 and there is no doubt about that. We did not concede one goal, did not lose and qualified with two games left.

“But overall, we are far away from the international level. In that sense, I believe that South Korea and Japan are one step ahead of us. They have more experience and football closer to European standards. This is the gap we need to close during our preparation.”

Carlos Queiroz’s Iran became the second team to qualify for the 2018 World Cup, after Brazil.

Preparation is key. There is a year until it all starts. In the past, Iran have struggled to arrange training camps and friendlies, watching with envy as Asian rivals play all around the world.

“Not many [understand] as to the right amount of credit we deserve for this qualification,” he said. “It is hard to explain to the world our problems and that it is hard to find a place to train or teams to play.”

Queiroz has had numerous run-ins with bosses at the Iranian Football Federation and various clubs in his six years in the position. Now he wants total support in the 12 months leading to Russia.

“I will try to make a statement similar to a famous statement made by a famous old and great president: The question is not what Team Melli can do for Iran, but what Iran can do for Team Melli.

“In order to progress, we need better infrastructure and financial support for camps and friendly games.If we don’t do that, the result will be stagnation. This is not the expectation for Iran fans and not what they deserve.

“It is time to say that the national team has been doing everything for Iranian football, now it is time for the authorities to step up. The passion is there and we need to implement a different program in order for different players to progress. In Portugal we were producing good players 26 or 30 years ago, but in Portugal we did not sleep and kept producing players. This is what Iran misses — a master plan with an infrastructure and individual support.”

If all goes well, the next stage of the plan is within reach. Iran has appeared in four World Cups but has yet to survive the group stage.

Iran performed well in 2014, but this is a different team now — more cosmopolitan, confident and consistent. Young stars like striker Sardar Azmoun and midfielder Saeid Ezatolahi are already in Russia but ready to make the jump to the big leagues and expand further the country’s growing pool of players who are active and impressing in Europe.

“We have built a team and a squad of 26 and more players and I have more options,” he said. “I have three goalkeepers, three right-backs and so on. At the next World Cup, I can rest people and keep them fresh for the games while keeping the same standard.

“This is due to our players being brilliant. I have never saw in my life players who made such sacrifices.”

Now is not the time to stop.

“My goal and dream is to get to the knockout stage at the 2018 World Cup. I am fighting against this satisfaction disease. We should not be satisfied with the first round. We need to be ambitious. We need to think big. We will not go to Russia as tourists.”

John Duerden covers Asian football for ESPN FC. Follow him on Twitter: @JohnnyDuerden.

 

 

Esmaeilpour wins FIFA Futsal Award

The FIFA Futsal World Cup Colombia 2016 most definitely saw a changing of the guard. The two giants of the global game, Spain and Brazil, were knocked off their perches and replaced in the final by Russia and Argentina. On an individual level, meanwhile, this edition of the tournament also witnessed stunning performances by renowned names and the emergence of a new crop of talents, whose own stars promise to shine brightly for many years to come. The members of the Technical Study Group (TSG) awarded the tournament’s individual prizes to the following players:

adidas Golden Ball: Fernando Wilhelm (ARG)
It was a case of fourth time lucky for Fernando Wilhelm. After three previous World Cup appearances had each ended in frustration, the 34 year-old assumed the Argentinean captaincy for this year’s competition. And he could not have managed his new responsibilities any better. Wilhelm never shied away from raising his voice, using his uncanny sense of anticipation to snuff out counter-attacks throughout the tournament. He dependably held his nerve at the key moments, while the Albiceleste’s strikers were particularly indebted to their captain’s keen eye for a telling pass. With his blend of perseverance, combativeness and tactical awareness, Wilhelm is an example to team-mates and rivals alike, and fully deserves the adidas Golden Ball at Colombia 2016.

adidas Silver Ball and adidas Silver Boot with 10 goals: Eder Lima (RUS)
Regardless of the stage, Eder Lima’s mission is always the same: to torment opposition defences and keep the goalscoring charts ticking upwards in his favour. And throughout Colombia 2016, the Russian star has fulfilled his role with distinction. With five goals in his first two matches, Lima successfully picked up where he had left off in 2012, when his nine strikes saw him finish as the tournament’s top marksman. He subsequently turned provider to his team-mates, assisting eight of his team’s goals, before his predatory instincts took over once more in the final, even if his three strikes were ultimately made in a losing cause.

adidas Bronze Ball: Ahmad Esmaeilpour (IRN)
Ahmad Esmaeilpour made his first tentative steps at a Futsal World Cup in Thailand 2012. Four years down the line, he is leaving Colombia on the back of a double achievement: Iran’s third place finish represents the country’s best showing at a Futsal World Cup, while Esmaeilpour himself has been named as the tournament’s third best player. Measuring well over six foot tall, this 28-year-old is the complete package. He has caused chaos throughout the tournament with his technique, movement and vision, not to mention his powerful long-range shooting, all combined with a ferocious desire to win that has carried the Team Melli to the podium for the first time in their history.


adidas Golden Boot: Ricardinho, 12 goals (POR)
Emerging goalless from Portugal’s first encounter against Colombia, Ricardinho made up for lost time in his second outing by scoring six times in a 9-0 win over Panama. Having notched up another three goals in an easy win against Uzbekistan, the Portuguese star then set his team on the way to their first win in the knock-out stages, scoring the first two goals in a 4-0 victory. He also left his mark in the clash with Azerbaijan, netting yet another goal. Boasting technique, power and skill, Ricardinho is the perfect blend of ruthlessness and elegance.

adidas Bronze Boot: Falcao, 10 goals (BRA)
When it comes to Falcao, the figures say it all: five World Cups, 34 matches, 48 goals. This legend of the game continues to set standards that will surely go unmatched for many years yet. As always, pre-tournament expectations were high for the Brazilian. Yet, just as predictably, he immediately proved himself more than up to the challenge, opening his account against Australia. Having signed off with yet another strike in his and Brazil’s final match against Iran, he ended up as the author of ten of the Seleçao’s 33 goals.

adidas Golden Glove: Nicolas Sarmiento (ARG)
In Nicolas Sarmiento, Colombia 2016 saw the emergence of a goalkeeper who promises to be a fixture in the sport for years to come. Much like Argentina coach Diego Giustozzi, the TSG was won over by the 23-year-old’s outstanding raw talent. The fifth-youngest goalkeeper of the 55 present at the tournament, Sarmiento stood out thanks to his consistency, confidence and capacity to marshal the tournament’s most miserly defence. He ended Colombia 2016 with an impressive record of three clean sheets.

FIFA Fair Play Award: Vietnam
Vietnam not only provided a breath of fresh air in their first appearance at a World Cup, but they also demonstrated exemplary sportsmanship all the way up to their elimination at the hands of Russia in the Round of 16. The Vietnamese only picked up four yellow cards throughout the competition.

FIFA makes this award based on evaluations by members of the Technical Study Group (TSG), who undertake a detailed analysis of national team members’ behaviour on and off the pitch. The goal is to promote a sporting attitude among players, coaches and also spectators at FIFA tournaments.

Third place for heroic Iran Futsal Team.

Iran’s remarkable journey at the FIFA Futsal World Cup Colombia 2016 ended on a high note, as they claimed third place after a 4-3 penalty shootout win over Portugal following a 2-2 draw in Cali on Saturday.

The Iranians came from two goals down to take the third-place match to a dramatic penalty shootout, where six rounds of spot kicks were needed to decide the contest.

The first half had the feeling of a friendly contest, with both goalkeepers in Iran’s Alireza Samimi and Portugal’s Bebe being the standout performers in the opening period.

Both sides created a good opportunity to open the scoring. Ahmad Esmaeilpour had Iran’s best chance, but his chip over Bebe also sailed over the crossbar. At the other end, Samimi did well to deny Cardinal at close range.

Where the first half was fairly tepid, the second half came to life, as Cardinal scored a quick-fire brace within the first minute of the restart for Portugal. He showed great patience to beat the onrushing Samimi to open the scoring before combining with captain Richardinho to make it 2-0.

Cardinal then made a key defensive play to deny Ali Hassan Zadeh’s shot, even though replays showed he may have used his arm to block the goal-bound effort.

Then an ugly melee that involved both sets of players in the Portugal half produced a pair of red cards, as Iran’s Mohammadreza Sangsefidi and Portugal’s Miguel Castro were given their marching orders.

It was at that stage that Iran turned the match around. Afshin Kazemi pulled the Asian champions back into the game with an assured finish before Mahdi Javid converted a second penalty past Portugal’s back-up goalkeeper Vitor Hugo to send the contest to a penalty shootout after the full-time whistle.

It required six rounds of penalties to decide this encounter. Iran’s back-up goalkeeper Sepehr Mohammadi made a pair of big saves, but his team-mates twice hit the woodwork with their spot-kick efforts.

Then after Portugal’s Joao Matos hit the post with his sixth-round penalty, Javid stepped up to convert his spot-kick and ensure Iran’s best-ever finish to a Futsal World Cup, surpassing their fourth-place accomplishment at Hong Kong 1992.

Matches

12 SEP 2016 – 20:00 Local time
GROUP F
Coliseo Ivan de Bedout
Medellin

Iran     IRAN     v     SPAIN     Spain

FULL-TIME

1-5

15 SEP 2016 – 20:00 Local time
GROUP F
Coliseo Ivan de Bedout
Medellin

Iran      IRAN     v    MOROCCO      Morocco

FULL-TIME

5-3

18 SEP 2016 – 18:00 Local time
GROUP F
Coliseo Ivan de Bedout
Medellin

Azerbaijan     AZERBAIJAN     v      IRAN     Iran

FULL-TIME

3-3

21 SEP 2016 – 17:30 Local time
ROUND OF 16
Coliseo Bicentenario
Bucaramanga

Brazil     BRAZIL     v     IRAN     Iran

FULL-TIME

4-4

Iran win on penalties (2 – 3)
24 SEP 2016 – 15:30 Local time
QUARTER-FINALS
Coliseo Bicentenario
Bucaramanga

Paraguay     PARAGUAY     V     IRAN     Iran

FULL-TIME

3-4

 

Iran win after extra time
27 SEP 2016 – 19:00 Local time
SEMI-FINALS
Coliseo Ivan de Bedout
Medellin

Iran     IRAN     v    RUSSIA      Russia

FULL-TIME

3-4

01 OCT 2016 – 12:00 Local time
MATCH FOR THIRD PLACE
Coliseo el Pueblo
Cali

Iran       IRAN     v    PORTUGAL      Portugal

FULL-TIME

2-2

Iran win on penalties (4 – 3)

 

 

The Heroes

PLAYERS▴▾ MP▴▾ MINP▴▾ GS▴▾ ASS▴▾ Y▴▾ 2YC▴▾ R▴▾
Ahmad ESMAEILPOUR 7 310 4 2 1 0 0
AliAsghar HASSAN ZADEH 7 310 5 1 1 0 0
Mahdi JAVID 7 310 5 5 0 0 0
Hossein TAYEBI 7 283 3 1 2 0 0
Alireza SAMIMI 6 270 0 0 2 0 0
Farhad TAVAKOLI 6 269 2 2 2 0 0
Mohammadreza SANGSEFIDI 7 261 0 1 1 0 1
Afshin KAZEMI 7 257 2 0 1 0 0
Mohammad KESHAVARZ 6 235 1 0 1 0 0
Mehran ALIGHADR 7 229 0 0 1 0 0
Hamid AHMADI 6 227 0 0 1 0 0
Mohammad TAHERI 4 128 0 0 0 0 0
Sepehr MOHAMMADI 1 40 0 0 0 0 0
Ghodrat BAHADORI 1 37 0 0 0 0 0

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Alireza Haghighi at the wrong end of a thrashing.

Team Melli’s number one goalkeeper Alireza Haghighi was at the end of a real drubbing when Benfica strikers scored six goal in his net in the Portuguese Cup final.

Benfica thrashed CS Maritimo 6-2 in the Taca da Liga final in Coimbra to win the trophy for a third consecutive year.

Rui Vitoria’s men were crowned Portuguese champions last Sunday, edging Sporting CP to the title by two points and, following Friday’s convincing win, have now won two doubles and a treble in their last three seasons.

Benfica – who beat Maritimo 2-1 in last year’s final – have completely dominated the Taca da Liga since it was established in 2007-08, winning it seven times.

Haghighi played for the full 90 minutes of the match despite the large scoreline.

The much traveled Haghighi is still has signed for Ruben Kazan in 2012 player, however he only played 1 full game for the Russian club before being sent back to Persepolis on loan the next season where he only played 2 games only for the Tehrani club. In 2014 , Haghighi returned back to his club in Russia. Soon thereafter , Ruben Kazan loaned him again this time to the Portuguese club  Sporting Covilhã in 2014 where he made 14 appearances. In season 2014–2015 he was loaned to Penafiel where he played 24 league matches and this season 2015/16 to CS Marítimo.

Despite the less than ideal performance and some say poor figures, Carlos Queiroz maintains full faith in Haghighi as one of the untouchables of Team Melli in similar category of Masoud Shojaei.

The only serious competition for the goalkeeper’s jersey seems to come from Alirreza Biranvand , but that is hardly much of a competition as the Naft Tehran keeper has time and again showed vital all round weaknesses in goal at club level.Mazaheri of Zob Ahan and Akhbari of Tractorsazi are the two other keepers in the squad , however , the former has a much better record in the league and is much more experienced that Akhbari.

Dan Gasper “I’ve never felt safer, I’ve never felt more comfortable or more well respected than I have in Iran.”

Team Melli Goalkeeper’s coach and Carlos Queiroz’s right hand man was interview by FIFA.com. Among the many interesting things the American coach said in this recently published interview , was the level of comfort and safety he has felt in Iran. That is a compelling observation by an American citizen who has lived for over 6 years in Iran and one thought that the AFC should listen to refute the Saudi’s grotesque and overtly ridiculous claim of level of safety in Iran and the dangers of playing football there!

The full Interview

Gaspar: I’ve always been adventurous

(FIFA.com)

“I’ve always been adventurous. I’ve always been curious. I’ve always been a risk taker.”

Football can do wonderful things. In the case of Iran national team assistant coach and goalkeeping coach Dan Gaspar, football took a kid born in South Glastonbury, Connecticut and showed him the world.

Gaspar has been Iran head coach Carlos Queiroz’s No2 since 1993, working with the former Manchester United assistant manager in Japan, Portugal, South Africa and at home in USA.

The latest chapter in the American’s life was helping Iran seal qualification to Asia’s third round of FIFA World Cup Russia 2018™ qualifying. Team Melli completed their unbeaten run in the second round with two convincing wins at home in Tehran against India and Oman. And in the eight games of the round, Iran conceded just three goals.

So what led him to accepting the job with Iran five years ago?

“I was grateful Carlos Queiroz’s trust and belief that I could assist him in this unique project,” Gaspar told FIFA.com in an exclusive interview. “I made the decision based on how I make most of my decisions and that is I think with my brain, I feel with my heart and then I make a decision with my gut, and I went there!”

Iran are one of Asia’s powerhouses in football with three AFC Asian Cups and four World Cup qualifications and its fans are some of the most passionate you can find. The idea of taking another nation to a World Cup was enough on its own to convince Gaspar to make the move to Iran in 2011. He went to South Africa 2010 with Portugal and when asked about the experience, you can see the magnitude of it all in his eyes.

“That was an amazing experience, difficult to put into words what it means to have that kind of privilege,” Gaspar said. “When the Iranian situation was presented I realised that this could be another opportunity to participate in a World Cup and help a country achieve that.”

And he did just that. Iran qualified for Brazil 2014 and had a respectable showing at the tournament. Although they failed to advance from the group stages, they went back home with respect from the world, especially after their performance against eventual runners-up Argentina, when only a singular moment of magic from Lionel Messi in injury time was all that could separate the teams. 

“Argentina’s best player that day was the goalkeeper! Who could have imagined that we would have put enough pressure on them for their goalkeeper to have been their player of the match? I have a lot of admiration and respect for our players because they played for the honour of their country and for their love of the people and the sport.”

Adaptation
Iran navigated through Group D in Asia’s second round of Russia 2018 qualifiers with confidence and pride in a legacy left by their countrymen stretching back to the 1960s. Playing against Oman, Turkmenistan, Guam and India, on paper it may have looked like a straightforward journey for Team Melli, but with thousands of miles to travel and diverse conditions to endure, it was anything but easy. 

“It’s complicated because the environments are challenging sometimes,” Gaspar said. “In Guam, we played on a turf pitch and it’s an island with not a lot of resources but their hospitality was fantastic. We overcame the conditions that our players never were exposed to.” It was their 6-0 win in Guam that epitomised Iran’s ability to adapt and play at their highest levels.

“Iran has gone through so much turmoil for so many years, it’s amazing how they handle and process these things,” Gaspar said. “When you come from a different culture in America or Europe where everything is structured and done exactly as planned, with Iran their custom allows them to react at the moment and to resolve the situation at the moment.”

Adaptation is a theme with Iran, but it’s also something Gaspar himself has shown his whole life.

“You challenge your decisions. Did I make the right decision? Am I being responsible to my family? Nothing has ever prepared me for this from the culture I was born in. It’s all about adaptation. I’ve never felt safer, I’ve never felt more comfortable or more well respected than I have in Iran.”

Gaspar has been working with Iran for five years, the joint-longest time he’s been anywhere in his career. With Team Melli through to the third round of Russia 2018 qualifying, they have every chance of making it to their fifth World Cup and for Gaspar, it would represent the longest professional adventure of his life.

“Sometimes I question if it was the right decision, but then when I base it on my real life experiences, I realise that this is a journey I would take again.” 

Group B in flux after Iran shocks Portugal in Beach soccer.

Iran men’s national beach soccer team defeated the European powerhouse Portugal 5-3 on Wednesday in the Group B match of the 2015 Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

The 5-3 win for Iran over the Portugal was the perfect rebound for Iran and letdown for Portugal but the fans won the biggest as the game was tense, dramatic, and passionate. Portugal took the first bite of the cherry but things were so equal that a big first period for both teams left the score tied at 2-2. Iran then dug deep and drew off the very friendly crowd to take the little steps and goals they needed to charge ahead and earn the win. The triumph leaves Group B up in the air going into the last day as it was the first win Iran, with Portugal also owning one win. Tahiti has two wins in the group but Portugal will play Tahiti on Thursday, while Iran will take on Mexico, and as it looks, each team needs a win to be safe.

iran_beachSoccer 2

Iran came into the match needing a win, as they lost on opening day to Tahiti but it was the world champs who scored first, leaving the Iranians down 1-0 and searching for a spark. The Lion of the Atlas were able to find that energy when they nailed home their first shot before the midway point in the frame. Portugal had an answer and responded within a minute but the Asian side had their own answer yet again and the game settled at 2-2 going into the final minutes of the period. The score did not shift and the first 12 minutes ended with the four goals, two for each side. The expectations might have been for more and more immediate goals, but the goalies began making bigger and bigger saves and the scored stayed at 2-all until Iran took their first lead of the day, on a penalty kick, to go up 3-2 near the halfway point of the match. Portugal kept their nerves but they knew that letting Iran hang around and build confidence would doom the Portuguese. The Iranians continued to turn things around from that early goal they gave up and they eventually scored late in the second to double up the Portuguese squad, by a score of 4-2, which is how things would hold going into the decisive final 12 minutes.

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Far from out of it, the Portuguese started the trail back to contention with an early goal from Jordan, which blew past the great Peyman Hosseini, the splendid keeper for Iran, and it put the score 4-3 for Iran, going into the heart of the period. For all of the close calls and saves from Iran, Portugal was still needing to employ their solid defense and goalkeeping with Iran attacking just as much. The crossbars on both ends of the field were taking a beating with Portugal and Iran doing their best to shatter them, or score a goal, though one of those things was obviously more important. The sense was Portugal was going to score but the stout Iranian defense was able to keep the score at 4-3 going into the final minutes of the game. The nail in the coffin came with three minutes left when Iran netted their fifth and then they hung on for the 5-3 victory.

 

Goals: 0-1: Belchior, min. 8 (1); 1-1: M. Morshedi, min. 8 (1); 1-2: B. Novo, min. 7 (1); 2-2: F. Boulokbashi, min. 6 (1); 3-2: M. Ahmadzadeh, min 7 (2); 4-2: F. Boulokbashi, min. 3 (2); 4-3: Jordan , min. 9 (3); 5-3: M. Ahmadzadeh, min. 3 (3).

On November 23, 2013, Iran beat Russia 4-3 in the final match of the 2013 edition of the Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup in Dubai to win the title.