Iran are aiming to reach the group stage for the first time in their history.
Tehran, Iran – Iranian coach Carlos Queiroz has chosen a familiar face for his national team for the 2022 World Cup.
The Portuguese coach finalized Team Meri’s list late on Sunday, which includes experienced players such as goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand and defender Shojae Khalilzadeh.
Mehdi Taremi, who has continued to shine in European tournaments with his club Porto, has unsurprisingly secured a spot next to fellow Legionnaire forwards Sardar Azmon and Alireza Jahanbakhsh, who have recovered from injury.
The average age of the team is almost 29, compared to 27 and 3 months in Russia 2018, and the team is looking to advance from the group stage for the first time in World Cup history.
Veteran defensive midfielder Omid Ebrahimi is probably the biggest absentee. He was out last week due to an injury.
Team Meri is part of the only World Cup group where every team is in the top 20 in the global rankings.
Iran, ranked 20th in the world rankings, will face England on November 21st, Wales on November 25th and the United States on November 29th.
Goalkeeper:
Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis)
Amir Abezadeh (Ponferradina)
Payam Niazmand, Sepahan
Hossein Hosseini (Esteghlal)
Defender:
Majid Hosseini (Kayserispor)
Mohammad Hossein Kananizadegan (Al Ahly)
Shojae Khalilzadeh (Al Ahly)
Morteza Pouraliganji (Persepolis)
Sadeg Mohrami (Dynamo Zagreb)
Ramin Rezaian (Sepahan)
Milad Mohammadi (AEK Athens)
Abolfazl Jalali (Esteghlal)
Midfielder:
Saeed Ezatrahi (Vayle Bold Club)
Ehsan Hajisafi (AEK Athens)
Rouzbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal)
Ahmad Nourollahi (Shabab Al-Ahli)
Ali Karimi (Kayserispor)
Saman Godos (Brentford)
Vahid Amiri (Persepolis)
forward:
Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Feyenoord)
Ali Golzadeh (Sporting Charleroi)
Mehdi Taremi (FC Porto)
Medhi Trabi (Persepolis)
Karim Ansarifard (Omonia Nicosia)
Sardar Azmoun (Bayer Leverkusen)
