All 32 teams participating in the World Cup in Qatar are introduced.
This time, we will introduce the Iranian team from Group B, which has undergone two coaching changes in the past four years and was once in danger of being eliminated from the second round of qualifying, but the Croatian coach has managed to rebuild the team and has qualified for the World Cup in Qatar as the first Asian team to do so.
Basic Information
| Number of appearances | 6th（Three consecutive） |
| Highest Achievement | Eliminated from the group stage |
| FIFA Ranking | 23th |
| Capital city | Tehran |
| Population | 83.99 million |
| Manager | Carlos Queiroz |
| Nickname | Team Melli （National Team） |
＜Results of last 6 games＞
| 2/1 | World Cup qualifier | UAE | 〇 | 1-0 | H |
| 3/24 | World Cup qualifier | Korea | ● | 2-0 | A |
| 3/29 | World Cup qualifier | Lebanese | 〇 | 2-0 | H |
| 6/13 | Friendly match | Algeria | ● | 1-2 | H |
| 9/24 | Friendly match | Uruguay | 〇 | 1-0 | H |
| 9/27 | Friendly match | Senegal | △ | 1-1 | A |
・Iran, one of the strongest teams in Asia, will be making its sixth appearance in this year’s tournament. Although they have never advanced past the group stage, they defeated Morocco at the last World Cup in Russia, played a good game against Spain but lost 0-1, and drew 1-1 with Portugal before being eliminated after a great effort.
・Over the course of four years, the team has cultivated enough team strength to compete with the best, with Azmoun and Taremi growing considerably. At the same time, there were two coaching changes, and at one point the team was in danger of being eliminated from the second round, but Croatian coach Skocic, who has a long history of coaching in Iran’s domestic league, rebuilt the team, and the team eventually qualified for the World Cup in Qatar as the first Asian team to do so, excluding the host nation Qatar.
・Based on a style that aggressively seeks to win the ball and advance vertically, they are also capable of switching to defense even in inferior situations. The team will be looking to take advantage of the fact that the tournament will be held in the Middle East to achieve their long-cherished goal of advancing past the group stage.
Manager
| （Name） | Dragan Skocic |
| （Date of birth） | September 3, 1968（54） |
| （nationality) | Croatia |
| （inauguration) | Feb. 2020 – Sep. 2022 |
・Although he is not well-known, his experience in coaching in Iran has earned him the position of director.
・He rebuilt a team in danger of being eliminated from the second round of qualifying and led them to the fastest Asian breakthrough in the final round of qualifying.
・A tactic of forming an organized defense and leaving the attack to the talent.
・He will be dismissed in September 2022.
| （Name） | Carlos Queiroz |
| （Date of birth） | 1953.3.1（69） |
| （nationality) | Portugal |
| （inauguration) | September 2022 |
・In September 2022.he was appointed national coach of Iran for the second time. His contract is for four months until the end of the World Cup.
・He had a long term regime at the helm of the Iranian national team from 2011 to 2019, leading the team to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil and the 2018 World Cup in Russia.
・He has an extensive record of success in leading Iran, including an undefeated record of 39 games against Asia during his last administration. Most recently, he coached the Colombian and Egyptian national teams, and now he is returning to Iran to face the big stage.
Basic Formations & Tactics
Aiming for a long-desired top 16 finish by taking advantage of their geographical location, they will use their strong defense and counterattacks to take advantage of the moment.
＜Basic Formations＞
・The quality of their attack, which includes Azmoun and Taremi, who are unique in Europe, is among the best in Asia. The front line of this team will be the mainstay of their bid for a first-ever top 16 finish.
・The June loss to Algeria was more than a score, and the public demanded a big-name coach, so Dragan Skocic was dismissed in September, and Carlos Queiroz was brought in.。
・While fellow group members England, the United States, and Wales struggled in their September friendlies, the Iranian team won their friendly against the powerful Uruguay 1-0. Supporters are very excited, and there are high hopes that Iran will be able to get out of Group B at the World Cup.
＜At Attack＞
・The ideal pattern is for the SBs to take a high position, with the wingers often not stretching out, and to attach vertical passes to the top three and aim for the goal with quick moves.
・When the opponents take countermeasures against them, the team will try to break down by intervening with midfielders Nourollahi and Ghoddos, and combining with the SBs by leaving the ball with Taremi and Jahanbakhsh, who are posted on the flanks. In particular, the side change from Ghoddos to Taremi is often used, and from there, the central breakthrough is often seen in the Asian qualifying rounds.
・When facing a world powerhouse, they may be more daring in their passing, aiming for the back of their opponents.
・Immediately after winning the ball, the first choice is to quickly supply the ball to the front line, either high up or from the goalkeeper, for a long counter. At that time, the whole team should also take a high position, and even the SBs and midfielders should participate in the attack, which is Iran’s key point.
＜At Defense＞
・Immediately after the ball is lost, one player presses the ball holder man-to-man on the basis of immediate retrieval to induce mistakes. If the ball is deployed to the side, the players on the opposite wing from the [4-3-3] join the second row to form a [4-4-2] block.
・When pressing the opponent’s buildup, the team should remain in a [4-3-3] and press in stages with three FWs and three MFs, with the back four covering behind the line and in space.
・If attacked, the team will split up and one of the left or right wingers will join the second row to form a [4-1-4-1] or [4-4-2] block. While based on a zone defense, the ball holders are tenaciously defended by a man-to-man response that takes advantage of their strength on the ball.
Star players（Top 4）
Mehdi Taremi （FW/Porto）
・”Arab Point Man”
・An up-and-coming striker who has been scoring a lot of goals in Portugal. He uses his strong physicality to get his shots on frame, even from an impossible position. Not only can he score goals in a variety of patterns, but he is also smart enough to create chances from midfield or on the flanks.
・Last season, he scored a personal best 20 league goals and recorded double-digit goals and double-digit assists for the second year in a row.
・His dedication to not skimping on defense is also a highly valued part of his game, as he never misses a chase from the front line.
Serdar Azmun （FW/Leverkusen）
・”Iran’s Messi”
・Reigns as an absolute ace in a team full of talents. He makes quick moves to get behind the back line and is good at matching crosses and grounder passes with a single touch. His physical ability is also outstanding, and he can score goals with acrobatic shots and competitive headers.
・I have a good impression of the devoted defense that chases the ball energetically.
Saman Ghoddos （MF/Brentford）
・”Attacking midfielder who struggles in the Premier League”
・A talent that coach Carlos Queiroz found by flying around the world in search of players with roots in Iran. Originally from Sweden, he grew up under Chelsea manager Graham Potter.
・A versatile type that can be played as second top, striker, and winger. His skillful ball control and propulsive dribbling are attractive. He can also calmly land punchy mid-range shots.
・He has high physical ability, and his vivid volley against Burnley in the 21/22 season is a legend.
Players List
| Name | Age | Club team | Representative Results (Goals) | |
| Alireza Safar Beiranvand | 30 | Persepolis | 50 caps | ・The defender in the World Cup in Russia, but at this point in time, Abedzadeh has the lead. |
| Amir Abedzadeh | 29 | Ponferradina | 10 caps | ・The Big Save Demon |
| Payam Niazmand | 27 | Sepahan | 1 caps | ・Long kicks give momentum to the attack. |
| Seyed Hossein Hosseini | 30 | Esteghlal | 5 caps | ・A veteran GK who returned to the national team for the first time in three years ・ Excellent for highball and one-on-one |
| Ehsan Hajsafi | 32 | AEK Athens | 119 caps（7） | ・Experienced left back with experience playing in Europe |
| Morteza Pouraligan | 30 | Persepolis | 44 caps（3） | ・Leadership role on the last line |
| Hossein Kanaani | 28 | Al Ahli Doha | 32 caps（2） | ・Demonstrates strength in interpersonal battles |
| Sadegh Moharrami | 26 | Dinamo Zagreb | 19 caps | ・Running up the right side and creating opportunities with high-speed crosses |
| Majid Hosseini | 26 | Kayserispor | 17 caps | ・Great success at the World Cup in Russia |
| Omid Nourafkan | 25 | Sepahan | 13 caps | ・Dedicated sprinting to create a numerical advantage |
| Milad Mohammadi | 29 | AEK Athens | 45 caps（1） | ・Observant and game-making from the side |
| Shoja Khalilzadeh | 33 | Al Ahli Doha | 22 caps（1） | ・Scoring on set pieces. |
| Jafar Salmani | 25 | Esteghlal | 2 caps | ・Dribbling is his specialty. |
| Ramin Rezaeian | 32 | Sepahan | 45 caps | ・Aggressive SB, but good at balancing ・Called up to the national team for the first time in three years |
| Abolfazl Jalali | 24 | Esteghlal | 2 caps | ・Left SB attacking to a high position and supplying crosses |
| Roozbeh Cheshmi | 29 | Esteghlal | 19 caps (1) | ・tall defensive midfielder |
| Alireza Jahanbakhsh | 29 | Feyenoord | 62 caps（13） | ・After three seasons in the Premier League, he moved to a prestigious Dutch club. |
| Saeid Ezatolahi | 26 | Vejle | 45 caps（1） | ・Raised in Atletico’s cantera |
| Saman Ghoddos | 29 | Brentford | 31 caps（2） | ・Speaks English, Swedish and Farsi |
| Ahmad Nourollahi | 29 | Shabab AlAhli Dubai | 24 caps（3） | ・Organizer to keep the team together |
| Vahid Amiri | 34 | Persepolis | 66 caps（2） | ・Good at setting things up from the left side. |
| Mehdi Torabi | 28 | Persepolis | 34 caps（6） | ・Ability to break through by dribbling and to be the starting point of a breakdown |
| Ali Gholizadeh | 26 | Royal Charleroi | 24 caps（6） | ・Left-handed technician |
| Milad Sarlak | 27 | Persepolis | 9 caps | ・Sealing off opponents with his one-on-one strength and being unique with his first pass. |
| Ali Karimi | 28 | Kayserispor | 13 caps | ・He never misses hard work on both offense and defense, such as bold attacks and high-strength defense. |
| Karim Ansarifard | 32 | Omonia Nicosia | 92 caps（29） | ・Dependable as a target man. |
| Serdar Azmun | 27 | Leverkusen | 63 caps（40） | ・He played in the Russian league for a long time. |
| Mehdi Taremi | 30 | Porto | 58 caps（27） | ・Coexistence with Azmoun and Jahanbakhsh is key. |
| Allahyar Sayyadmanesh | 21 | Hull City | 7 caps（1） | ・Future ace candidate |
| Mehdi Ghayedi | 23 | Esteghlal | 8 caps（2） | ・Rough dribbling cuts through the opponent’s defense. |
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