Iran Football Team

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Iran Soccer Team General Information
Country - Iran
Capital City - Teheran
Continent - Asia
Manager - Branko Ivankovic

Iran Soccer Team History
Founded 1920
Affiliated 1945

WC participations2 (1978, 1998)
WC honours NONE
Continental TitlesAsian Championships 3 times (1968, 1972, 1976), Asian Games 4 times (1974, 1990, 1998, 2002)

World Cup Record:
Year Host Performance
1930 Uruguay -
1934 Italy -
1938 France -
1950 Brazil -
1954 Switzerland -
1958 Sweden -
1962 Chile -
1966 England -
1970 Mexico -
1974 West Germany -
1978 Argentina Fourth, Group Four
1982 Spain -
1986 Mexico -
1990 Italy -
1994 U.S.A. -
1998 France Third, Group F
2002 S.Korea/Japan -
2006 Germany in Group D with Mexico, Portugal, Angola
IRAN Football Team for 2006 FIFA World Cup

Coach:
Branko Ivannkovic

Goalkeepers:
Ebrahim Mirzapour, Hassan Roudbarian, Vahid Talebloo.

Defenders:
Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh, Yahya Golmohammadi, Rahman Rezaei, Hossein Kaabi, Sattar Zare, Mohammad Nosrati, Amir Hossein Sadeqi.

Midfielders:
Mehdi Mahdavikia, Javad Nekounam, Ferydoon Zandi, Ali Karimi, Andranik Teymourian, Javad Kazemeian, Mehrzad Madanchi.

Forwards:
Vahid Hashemian, Ali Daei, Rasoul Khatibi, Arash Borhani, Reza Enayati, Masoud Shojaei.

Iran Statistics in Group D with Mexico, Portugal, Angola
The team is known as 'Team Melli'
Jersey No. Name of the Player
1 Ebrahim Mirzapour
2 Mehdi Mahdavikia
3 Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh
4 Yahya Golmohammadi
5 Rahman Rezaei
6 Javad Nekounam
7 Ferydoon Zandi
8 Ali Karimi
9 Vahid Hashemian
10 Ali Daei
11 Rasoul Khatibi
12 Hassan Roudbarian
13 Hossein Kaabi
14 Andranik Teymourian
15 Arash Borhani
16 Reza Enayati
17 Javad Kazemeian
18 Sattar Zare
19 Amir Hossein Sadeqi
20 Mohammad Nosrati
21 Mehrzad Madanchi
22 Vahid Talebloo
23 Masoud Shojaei

Iran Soccer Team is playing in Group D along with Mexico, Angola and Portugal. The three time Asian Champions is a good blend of youth and experience. The team of Iran is nicknamed Team Melli.

In the preliminary round of the Asian Qualifying matches for Germany 2006, Iran Soccer Team was defeated 1-0 by Jordan in the away match. In the return home match with Jordan they emerged triumphant with a 2-0 win. Iran still topped its group with 5 wins and 1 loss and went into the Asian Qualifying final round in Group 2 alongwith Japan, Bahrain and North Korea.

Iran had a goalless draw in Bahrain. Vahid Hashemian struck both of Iran's goals leading the team to a 2-1 victory over Japan in March 2005. With this victory, Iran had a four-match winning streak. Iran lost their final Group 2 match in Tokyo in Aug 2005, but it did not make much difference as they had already secured their place in the Football World Cup Finals.

Iran, three times champions of Asia participated in their first world cup in 1978 in Argentina. They again participated in the World Cup of 1998 in France by eliminating Australia on away goals in a two-legged play-off. In France, they defeated United States of America 2-1 in Lyon. In 2001, Iran lost to the Republic of Ireland in the qualifying play-off and lost the opportunity for the second successive FIFA World Cup appearance.

Miroslav Blazevic stepped down after Iran Soccer Team could not qualify for 2002 South Korea/Japan match. Croatian coach Branko Ivannkovic took charge and guided the Iranian team to the first place in 2002 Asian Games. He introduced young players into the team and inculcated team spirit. He also persuaded Vahid Hashemian to join back.

Team Melli is being considered the best in Iranian football history. The players to watch are Ali Karimi, Mehdi Mahdavika, Ali Daei and Vahid Hashemian.