The Iranian Football Federation was founded in Persia in 1920, but did not reach the biggest stage until the 1978 World Cup.
A year later, the Iranian Revolution broke out and Iranian football fell into a recession under the new regime.
Nevertheless, Iran’s national team is rooted in the Kingdom of Persia, not the Islamic regime that has ruled the country since 1979.
rooted in Persia
In 1926, during the Pahlavi Royal House founded by Reza Shah, the Persian Empire created its first national team called ‘Tehran XI’. It is a fusion of players from his two typical football clubs, Tehran FC and Armenia SC.
The latter is the predecessor of ‘Ararat Tehran’, an Iranian club that requires its players to be of Armenian descent. “Ararat” in its name refers to the biblical mountain where Noah’s Ark arrived.
Between 1926 and 1929, Persia’s Tehran XI played seven games against the Soviet Union, recording an under-par record of 0-1-6.
In 1935, Reza Shah took the helm from the Persian moniker and declared Iran the “Land of the Aryans”.
After World War II, the Iranian Federation became a member of FIFA in 1948.
However, since the global upheaval brought international football to a halt, an entire generation of Iranians has been unable to compete in major tournaments.
Therefore, from 1950 to 1970, the Kingdom of Iran did not participate in World Cup qualifiers. But that era saw a newcomer discovering latent talent, and soon the Kingdom of Iran became her three-time champion.
Iranian Cheetah – 3x Asian Champion
From 1968 to 1976, US-backed Iran boasted three AFC Asian Cup championships. Their team named it the ‘Iranian Cheetah’, a tribute to the last vestiges of an endangered species. During that three-peat, the Cheetahs were led by Iranian French midfielder Parviz Gericikhani.
However, in 1977, after 14 goals and 66 appearances, Parviz was forced by the Iranian monarchy to retire from international duty for political reasons.
This political targeting led to Parviz being imprisoned for two months in 1972 and eventually excluded from the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.
Despite this, Parviz put in a great performance and grabbed the attention of the San Jose Earthquake. In 1978, he appeared in his 16th game in a Bay Area outfit and sang the swan song. Goonies.
Despite his absence in Argentina in 1978, Parviz passed the torch to the trio. The late goalkeeper Nasser Hejaj, Persepolis winger He Ali He Palvin, and Hassan his Roshan, who boasted his number 10 for ‘Crown FC’. Together, Iran is determined to make a name for itself on the big football stage.
world cup 1978
At the 1978 World Cup, Iran wore an Adidas kit and kangaroo leather ‘Copa Mundial’ cleats. Armed with the best gear, the “Cheetahs” attracted tough opponents in groups such as Holland, Scotland and Peru.
Rob Rensenbrink’s hat-trick shut out the Netherlands 3-0 in Round 1, but Team Meri didn’t lose momentum. The Cheetahs embarked on a game against the formidable Scotland.
Unfortunately, in that match, Iranian Armenian defender Andranik Eskanderian conceded an own goal in the penultimate minutes of the first half. Nevertheless, Iran retaliated in the 61st minute when late midfielder Iraqi Danaeifard equalized at 1-1.
After the match ended in a draw, the ecstatic kingdom of football fanatics were in high spirits as their national team scored their first goal at the World Cup, not to mention their first point in the group stage. I was soaking.
As a result, Iranian players became overconfident. All signs point to Section 3, which will ensure the winner advances to the next round. Unfortunately, Iran underestimated their opponents, the tactical and technical Peru.
Iran knew the game against Peru was a ‘must win’ situation. Therefore, he faced the game with a relentless attack that exposed his defense. As a result, Peru took advantage of breakaways and dead balls to win 4-1. However, the team’s Meri left the pitch at Cordoba’s Mario Kempes Stadium. Because I knew I was going to return to the fan base that was so overjoyed in my home country.
Iranian American football player
In 1978, the NASL (the now-defunct American Soccer League) was the equivalent of the MLS, and the New York Cosmos were its most famous team. In the end, it worked out for Andy Eskanderian. Despite conceding an “own goal” against Scotland and being placed on the bench against Peru, the defender signed with Cosmos.
Additionally, from 2003 to 2010, his New Jersey-born son scored 30 goals in 125 appearances for five MLS teams. His tenure began with DC United and ended with the LA Galaxy. The University of Virginia alum is currently working on MLS player development.
Ultimately, Iranian Frenchman Parviz Gerichhani and Iranian Armenian Andy Eskanderian have left their mark on both sides of American football. The former retired in San Jose, while the latter played 142 games in New York.
Iran’s contribution to Asian football
In the 1970s, Iranian football showed signs of a promising future. The players on the team were evolving their technical abilities. But like many countries, Iranian players have become masters of the basics by imitating Johan Cruyff’s ‘Total Football’ and Italy’s ‘Door Bolt’ defense.
From 1972 to 1979, Federation President Khambiz Atabai led Iran’s national team as winners of the 1974 Asian Games and the 1976 Asian Cup. Additionally, Iran won qualification for the 1976 Olympics and his 1978 World Cup under his supervision. Needless to say, Kambiz served as his AFC president throughout his oeuvre. Historically, his tenure has been the most successful of any president of the Iranian Federation.
Unfortunately, Islamic hijacking of Iran ended Khambiz Atabai’s term in office on February 17, 1979, six days after the Shah’s downfall. As a result, Iranian football was overthrown. Iran withdrew from his 1982 World Cup his Spain despite finishing third in the 1980 Asian Cup. In addition, Iran took him fourth in the 1984 Asian Cup. However, they were suspended from the 1986 Mexico World Cup due to the civil war with Iraq.
quest for atonement
I can’t help but wonder how Iranian football has evolved under the US-backed Kingdom of Iran.
The absence of two World Cups throughout the 1980s hampered progress in the 1970s. Still, he notes that Iran could have been above the current FIFA rank of 22, especially after showing promise in its 1978 debut.
In 2022, Carlos Queiroz’s Iran has the potential to overwhelm Group B. Unfortunately, however, his team is overshadowed by the domestic political unrest that dominates international news.
If Iran succeeds in Qatar and advances to the knockout stage, it could fuel protests at home.
World Cup 2022 Guide
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