Team profile: Iran

The three time Asian Champions have had to carry the burden of their country’s international political disputes in preparation for the World Cup. With Ali Karami “the Persian Maradona” pulling the strings ‘Team Meli’ might just be able to navigate their way out of a tricky group.

FIFA Ranking: 23

Coach: Branko Ivankovic

Key players: Ali Daei, Mohammad Nosrati, Vahid Hashemian

World Cup record: Third appearance

Best finish: First round 1978, 1998

Last appearance: First round 1998

Qualifying route: Second in Asian Group B.

Key question:  The side have had more than their share of hurdles to jump in preparation due to political reasons, can they put it all behind them and become a competitive force?

Squad:

Goalkeepers#
Ebrahim Mirzapour1
Hassan Roudbarian12
Vahid Talebloo22
Defenders
Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh3
Yahya Golmohammadi4
Rahman Rezaei5
Hossein Kaabi13
Sattar Zare18
Amir Hossein Sadeqi19
Mohammad Nosrati20
Midfielders
Mehdi Mahdavikia2
Javad Nekounam6
Fereydoon Zandi7
Ali Karimi8
Anderanik Teymourian14
Mehrzad Madanchi21
Masoud Shojaei23
Forwards
Vahid Hashemian9
Ali Daei10
Rasoul Khatibi11
Arash Borhani15
Reza Enayati16
Javad Kazemian17

Group matches:

v Mexico, 16:00 GMT, Sunday 11th June – Nuremberg

v Portugal, 13:00 GMT, Saturday 17th June – Frankfurt

v Angola, 14:00 GMT, Wednesday 21st June – Leipzig

 

Source: Al Jazeera