Five Iranian Players To Watch Out For In The World Cup

Iran is one of the countries that almost nothing is known about in the World Cup. They are currently in Group B and are pitted against England, Wales and the United States.

While some fans watching the 2022 World Cup believes it will be an easy victory for England in the opening fixture, some will be quite concerned as they know too well what underestimating an opponent in the world tournament can do to them. The Iranian team finished top of their qualification group alongside South Korea with 13 points ahead of the United Arab Emirates, who came out third.

To add more points to the team, it is being coached by Carlos Queiroz, former Real Madrid manager, who recently returned to the team with experience from the 2014 and 2018 editions of the FIFA tournament, with bookmakers not on GamStop backing every single game in these competitions. In this article, we will be looking at some of the Iranian players to watch out for during the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Ehsan Hajsafi

Despite being aged 32, Ehsan Hajsafi was still included in the Iranian team that will be competing in the World Cup and he is one of the most experienced players in the squad with over 120 appearances for the national team. The 32-year-old is a versatile midfielder that can also be deployed in the left-back position.

Playing in the Greek Super League for AEK Athens, Hajsafi is known for his leadership in the team and he has previously played for Persian Gulf Pro League sides and Olympiacos.

Omid Noorafkan

At the age of 24, Omid Noorafkan is one of the youngest players in the Iranian squad. He will be making his first appearance in the World Cup this November.

He currently plies his trade with the Iranian team, Sepahan, and he is considered one of the best players in the team. Noorafkan is another midfielder that can be deployed as a full-back and in the central defence, which will prove to be important traits should Queiroz decide to switch gameplan mid-game.

Alireza Jahanbakhsh

Alireza Jahanbakhsh is one of the most popular players in the Iranian squad, having recorded 50 Premier League appearances for Brighton and Hove Albion. Jahanbakhsh is a right winger with immense technical ability, which was on full display in a game against Chelsea as he scored an overhead kick.

The 29-year-old attacker now plays for Dutch club Feyenoord in the Eredivisie. He currently has 64 caps for the National team with 13 goals. 

Mehdi Taremi

Mehdi Taremi will be playing a pivotal role in the frontline of Iran's team, as he will be flanking Sardar Azmoun along with Jahanbakhsh instead of playing in the centre forward he is known for at Porto.

The 30-year-old forward has been nothing short of impressive in form for the Portuguese club since he joined them in 2020 from league rivals Rio Ave. The forward has 60 caps for the national team with 30 goals.

Sardar Azmoun

Sardar Azmoun is another player Queiroz will be banking on to help get past countries that are underrating them during the World Cup. Azmoun is a 37-year-old striker who played mostly for Russian side Zenit Saint Petersburg.

He scored 52 goals in 79 appearances for the Russian giants before moving to Germany to join Bayer Leverkusen in 2021. He is the all-time highest-scoring Iranian in the Champions League, which was scored during his time in Russia. But, it is unknown if he'll be fit before the World Cup as he is currently sidelined with an injury.