As IR Iran prepare to participate in their third consecutive FIFA World Cup campaign, the nation’s finest generation aspires to make it past the group stage at the sixth time of asking.
To date, Team Melli fans remember with agony Mehdi Taremi’s squandered chance. The ball on his left foot, eight yards out and only Rui Patricio to beat, the would-be Porto goal machine failed to hit the target for what would have been the goal to send Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal crashing and Iran miraculously into the next round out of a group that also included Morocco and 2010 world champions Spain.
Four years on, Taremi is one of the players who has grown in stature since Russia 2018, while others - such as goalkeeper Amir Abedzadeh and midfielder Ahmad Nourollahi - have come to the fore. As for the likes of Vahid Amiri, Mourteza Pouraliganji and Karim Ansarifard, whose international careers have dwindled over recent years, they will hope that the return of former mentor Carlos Queiroz as coach - announced today - will revive their hopes.
Here are five players worth keeping an eye on as Team Melli look to create history in Qatar 2022.
AMIR ABEDZADEH
Position: Goalkeeper
Age: 29?
Four years ago, Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand made headlines in Russia 2018 when he saved a penalty kick from Portugal ace Ronaldo as 25-year-old Amir Abedzadeh watched from the substitutes bench.
Back then, no team amongst the 16 eliminated from the group stage conceded fewer goals than Iran (2), and if they are to achieve their elusive dream of advancing to the next round in the closest tournament to home yet, goalkeeping heroics will be of utmost importance against the likes of Harry Kane, Gareth Bale and Christian Pulisic.
Heading into Qatar 2022, that task seems to be destined for Abedzadeh, who came through the ranks at Tottenham Hotspur and Brentford. Now approaching 30, he has firmly overtaken Beiranvand into the pole position to start between the sticks as he continues to impress in Spain where he represents second division side Ponferradina.
The clash against the United States will particularly be a special moment for Abedzadeh whose father, Ahmad Abedzadeh, captained Iran when they played the USA in the FIFA World Cup France 1998, leading them to a famous 2-1 victory.
OMID NOORAFKAN
Position: Left-back/defensive midfielder
Age: 24
One of only a few starting players for Team Melli who ply their trade at home, the Sepahan defender adds versatility to the Iran side. Capable of playing as left-back, defensive midfielder or even central defender when called upon, Noorafkan has steadily grown in influence.
He narrowly missed out on the previous edition of the World Cup, having been part of Queiroz’s extended squad before being cut out of the final roster. Since then, however, the former Esteghlal player’s blend of steel and elegance saw him gradually take over the starting role from national team captain Ehsan Hajsafi.
While Qatar 2022 will be Noorafkan’s first World Cup, the utility man had the experience of captaining his nation at the Fifa U-20 World Cup Korea Republic 2017, their first appearance in that age group in 16 years.
AHMAD NOUROLLAHI
Position: Central midfielder
Age: 29
For years, Queiroz’s Iran had three mainstays rotating in the heart of midfield, with one of Saeed Ezatollahi, Omid Ebrahimi and Hajsafi starting every one of the team’s nine matches in major competitions since 2018.
Nourollahi, meanwhile, was slowly but steadily developing into one of the most reliable midfielders in Iranian and Asian football, leading Tehran powerhouse Persepolis to two AFC Champions League finals and four consecutive Iran Pro League titles. A place in Team Melli’s starting XI had to wait, though, with Nourollahi a few months shy of his 26th birthday when he made his international debut.
The arrival of Dragan Skocic as coach resulted in a drastic change of fortunes for the midfielder, who became an indispensable part of the national team setup throughout the Asian Qualifiers for Qatar 2022. Combative off the ball and calm in possession, Nourollahi’s ability to strike the ball from range saw him register three goals in the qualifiers, and he has gained further experience following a move to UAE club Shabab Al Ahli.
While not necessarily the fastest or most physical player, Nourollahi’s exemplary positioning and eye for a progressive pass means he is expected to play a key role in protecting the back four as well as starting attacks for Iran in Qatar.
MEHDI TAREMI
Position: Winger
Age: 30
Very few players have experienced the rapid rise to stardom that Mehdi Taremi underwent in recent years. In 2014, the versatile forward was plying his trade in the second tier of Iranian football, and nowhere near the national team. Fast forward to 2022; Taremi is a household name in European football, with a Fifa Puskás Award nomination and the top scorer award in the Portuguese Primeira Liga to his name.
On the international front, Taremi formed a devastating trio alongside Sardar Azmoun and Alireza Jahanbakhsh, with the three of them combining for over 170 international goals between them. Taremi is headed to his second Fifa World Cup as seventh amongst Iran’s all-time top scorers with 27 goals in 58 caps.
SARDAR AZMOUN
Position: Striker
Age: 27
The Yin to Taremi’s Yang, Sardar Azmoun has spearheaded Iran’s attack for the past seven years with great success. While Taremi drifts wide and hovers around the box, Azmoun uses his combination of poacher’s instinct and imposing physique to convert chances.
Having never played his senior club football at home, Azmoun started his senior career at Russian Premier League side Rubin Kazan, opting for a move abroad at the expense of offers from Iran giants Esteghlal and Persepolis. In nearly a decade in Russian football, Azmoun established himself as one of the most recognised goalscorers in European football, becoming the all-time highest Iranian top scorer in the Uefa Champions League.
In January, it was time for a new adventure as the 27-year-old moved to Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen.
After missing out on a place in the Iran squad for Brazil 2014, Azmoun enhanced his reputation at the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015, where he scored a wonder goal against Qatar in the group stage then opened the scoring in their quarter-finals 3-3 draw against Iraq; a game they eventually lost on penalty shootouts.
Four years later in UAE, Azmoun finished second to Qatar’s Almoez Ali in the competition’s scoring charts, bagging four goals. He is currently the nation’s third all-time top scorer with 40 international goals. Only the legendary Ali Daei has a better strike rate than Azmoun’s 0.63 goals per game for Team Melli.