The team’s third-highest scorer was criticized in March by state media for appearing in a photo on social media alongside the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates.
O Iran announced the list of players who will join the national team to compete in the World Cup. Coach Amir Ghalenoei defined the 26 names, but there will be two important absences for the national team tournament.
In the competition, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, the coach did not call Sardar Azmoun, third highest scorer in the team. Scorer of 91 games and 57 goals, he was target of criticism in March by state media for appearing in a photo on social media alongside the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates.
The episode did not go down well, as the country is an ally of the United States and a supporter of Washington’s war against Iran. In recent weeks, the coach of the national team guaranteed that his call-up would be based solely on technical criteria. However, there is a suspicion that the athlete was left out for political reasons.
But, besides Azmoun, another important name that is left out is Ali Gholizadeh. However, he is absent from the list because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee.
O Iran is part of Group G at the World Cup and makes his debut on June 15th against New Zealand, in Los Angeles. The team returns to the field for the second round against Belgium on the 21st, on the same stage, and ends its participation in this initial phase of the tournament six days later against Egypt.
Check out Iran’s squad for the World Cup:
Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand (Tractor Club), Seyed Hossein Hosseini (Sepahan) and Mohammad Khalifeh Payam Niazmand (Persepolis)
Defenders: Danial Eiri Ehsan Hajsafi (Sepahan), Saleh Hardani (Esteghlal), Hossein Kanaani (Persepolis), Shojae Khalilzadeh (Tractor Club), Milad Mohammadi (Persepolis), Ali Nemati (Foolad), Omid Noorafkan (Sepahan) e Ramin Rezaeian (Foolad).
Midfielders: Roozbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal), Saeid Ezatolahi (Shabab Al-Ahli), Mehdi Ghaedi (Shabab Al-Ahli), Saman Ghoddos (Al-Ittihad Kalba), Mohammad Ghorbani (Al Wahda), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (FCV Dender), Mohammad Mohebi (FK Rostov), Amir Mohammad (sem club), Razzaghinia (Esteghlal), Mehdi Torabi (Tractor Club) and Aria Yousefi (Sepahan).
Attackers: Ali Alipour (Persepolis), Dennis Dargahi (Standard Liege), Hadi Habibinejad (Chadormalou Ardakan), Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh (Tractor Club), Amirhossein Mahmoudi (Persepolis), Kasra Taheri (Paykan) and Mehdi Taremi (Olympiacos).
