Group F: Argentina, Nigeria, Bosnia& Herzegovina, Iran
Bangladeshi football fans especially the fans of popular Mohammedan Sporting Club definitely fondly remember Nasser Hejaji, who played in Dhaka league. Nasser was one who had world cup experience. Iran after several years in wilderness is heading to Brazil as Asia’s top-ranked nation but their hopes of reaching the knockout stages of a world cup for the first time have been hampered by a lack of top class friendly oppositions and a wave of negativity surrounding the team.
It happened quietly, and with little fanfare, but in November 2013 Iran became the number-one ranked team in Asia and they entered the world cup 2014 holding the same mantle. Carlos Queiroz’s team are largely unknown outside the gulf region and enter the world cup, the fourth in their history and first since 2006, as something of an unknown quantity, largely owing to their lack of international competition outside Asia.
Since booking their spot in the finals by winning their Asian qualifying group last June, Iran, have only played one international friendly match against Guinea in Tehran, which they lost 2-1. By contrast, Asian champions Japan have faced world cup finalists Uruguay, Netherlands, Belgium and Ghana in friendlies; aiming to give their squad an experience of the task they will face In Brazil.
Iran’s Portuguese boss Carlos Queiroz bemoaned the situation, believed to be down to politics and finances, after the loss to Guinea, which drew withering criticism from a local media fed up with the sluggish performances of an ageing team.
“We try our best, we have limited resources, we have some issues in our preparations but the federation makes a lot of efforts to give the best to the players and the team,” Queiroz said at the Asian Cup draw in March.
“In the last three years despite all the difficulties, Iran has showed the No 1 most important thing in the football world – passion.”
“If you have passion for the game, that is always a good starting point. with the passion of the players and the fans, we were able to qualify for the World Cup.”
Team Melli managed only three goals in the first five games of their final Asian qualifying group before striker Reza “Gucci” Ghoochannejhad, who was born in Tehran but emigrated to Netherlands as a child, was found and fired the team to a fourth world cup.
Although grouped with one of the tournament favorites Argentina, hopes were raised that they could advance to the last 16 for the first time after they were also drawn against Bosnia and Nigeria in an expected three-way battle for second place.
The task of adding to their sole world cup finals victory over political foes the United States in 1998 looks beyond them.
“[We must] take this World Cup as a learning process, and that doesn’t mean that we go there for tourism. We go to Brazil to create a legacy and the legacy is to put the team in a good position to be stronger after the World Cup but better prepared and more experienced,” Queiroz said.
“No doubt since I arrived, there is great progress in the players, great progress in the team. There is a great potential in Iran, it is just a matter of putting things in the right place.”
“Three years ago Iran was fourth or fifth in Asia and today is the No 1 country.”
Expect a cagey, counter-attacking approach in a brief Brazil appearance.
Goalkeepers: Daniel Davari (Eintracht Braunschweig), Alireza Haghighi (Sporting Covilha, on loan from Rubin Kazan), Rahman Ahmadi (Sepahan), Sousha Makani (Foolad Khuzestan).
Defenders: Khosro Heidari (Esteghlal), Hossein Mahini (Persepolis), Steven Beitashour (Vancouver Whitecaps), Pejman Montazeri (Umm Salal), Jalal Hosseini (Persepolis), Amir Sadeghi (Esteghlal), Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh (Zob Ahan), Ahmad Alenemeh (Naft), Hashem Beikzadeh (Esteghlal), Ehsan Hajsafi (Sepahan), Mehrdad Pooladi (Persepolis).
Midfielders: Javad Nekounam (Al Kuwait), Andranik Teymourian (Esteghlal), Reza Haghighi (Persepolis), Ghasem Hadadifar (Zob Ahan), Bakhtiyar Rahmani (Foolad), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (NEC Nijmegen), Ashkan Dejagah (Fulham).
Forwards: Masoud Shojaei (Las Palmas), Mohammad Reza Khalatbari (Persepolis), Mehdi Sharifi (Sepahan), Reza Ghoochannejhad (Charlton), Karim Ansarifard (Persepolis, on loan at Tractor Sazi), Sardar Azmoun (Rubin Kazan).
While they may be Asia’s number one ranked, they are seemingly given little hope of advancing past the group stage, although this may have to do with their low profile than anything else. Out of sight is out of mind. While Nigeria comes first up, Queiroz knows how important a win first up will be.
“We are concentrating on Nigeria match , then we will think about Argentina. For us Nigeria means the World Cup.“
Realistically Iran will find it extremely difficult to win any match as Argentina, Nigeria and Bosnia & Herzegovina have much more experience of international competitive football in the recent past. Experience and exposure matters in the battle of nerves at the highest level, which Iran lacks. Many think that Iran will just make the number.
BDST: 1046 HRS, JUNE 10, 2014
