Iran
Iran are an AFC national team and the most consistent World Cup qualifier in the Asian confederation, having appeared in six tournaments since 1978 with a squad built around one of the most technically complete player generations in the country’s history.
Team Melli’s 1998 World Cup appearance in France produced the most politically charged match in tournament history. The game against the United States in Lyon on June 21 was preceded by an extraordinary scene: the two national teams exchanged white flowers as a diplomatic gesture on the pitch before kick-off, despite representing governments that had not had formal diplomatic relations since 1980. Iran won 2-1 with goals from Hamid Estili and Mehdi Mahdavikia, a result celebrated with public gatherings in Tehran that rivalled the scenes outside the stadium in France.
The contemporary Iran squad is centred on Mehdi Taremi, whose overhead kick for Porto against Chelsea in the 2021 Champions League quarter-final, struck with such perfect technique while falling backwards, became one of the most shared goals in modern football. Taremi at Inter Milan has established himself as a Champions League-quality striker with technical ability, link-up play, and a goal-scoring record that has made him the most valuable Irani footballer of his generation.
Carlos Queiroz, whose tenure as Iran’s manager has run across multiple periods, built a disciplined 4-2-3-1 that organises around the midfield and exploits Taremi’s movement. Sardar Azmoun, when available and fit, provides a second attacking option of genuine quality. The midfield includes Alireza Jahanbakhsh, whose technical quality from wide positions has been demonstrated at both Brighton and Feyenoord.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Iran defeated Wales 2-0 late in the match after Rouzbeh Cheshmi’s strike and Ramin Rezaeian’s follow-up in added time, before losing to the United States 1-0 and being eliminated. Andrés Guardado’s read of Taremi limited Iran’s most dangerous avenue throughout the tournament.
Tehran is in the IRST timezone (UTC+3:30). For fans in Iran, World Cup matches in North America kick off between midnight and 04:30 local time, a schedule that Iranian households have navigated around every four years since 1978.