Skip to main content

Written on .

When will Ansarifard become Iran’s latest centurion?

Ansarifard

Experience will be key for Iran when they head to the 2022 World Cup finals in Qatar, with history there to be made if early momentum can be established. Never before have they made it beyond the first round of the most prestigious of international tournaments.

That run stretches back to a debut showing in 1978 and has included group stage exits from FIFA’s flagship event in 1998, 2006, 2014 and 2018. The intention is to snap an unfortunate sequence of results when making a short trip across the Middle East.

Surprise

The going will be tough for Carlos Queiroz’s side after being drawn against England, Wales and the United States in Group B. World Cup odds 2022 are not being weighted in their favour, with Iran priced at 7/2 to make it into the last-16 and 6/1 to reach the quarter-finals.

Having never enjoyed such a run before, form books aplenty are going to need to be ripped up in order for a notable reversal in fortune to be taken in. Anything is possible, though, on any given day and the odd surprise is to be expected when the best sides on the planet lock horns.

One factor that should work in Iran’s favour relates to the mix of pedigree and potential that Queiroz now has at his disposal. Many of those he can call upon know what it feels like to operate under the brightest of spotlights.

Walking out onto a World Cup stage, with billions of eyes locked on every move, should hold no fear for those that have already been there, done it and cleared out the gift shop. For them, no step into the unknown is about to be taken.

In the case of Karim Ansarifard, a third showing on the grandest of sporting platforms is about to be enjoyed. The seasoned frontman is a veteran of the 2014 and 2018 events, with a successful penalty recorded in a 1-1 draw with Portugal at the most recent of those tournaments.

Only national team captain Ehsan Hajsafi can claim to boast more international experience than the former Nottingham Forest and Olympiakos striker, who is now plying his club trade in Cyprus with Omonia Nicosia.

Ansarifard has been part of the Iran fold since 2009, with 29 goals plundered along the way, and is fast closing in on a notable personal landmark. He may not hit that target at the 2022 World Cup finals, but he will get very close.

Exclusive

As things stand, Ansarifard has taken in 94 appearances for his country. The first of those came against Iceland some 13 years ago, with the promise there for many more to come from a player who is showing no sign of slowing down – with seven goals recorded in the AFC section of World Cup qualification.

He now stands six outings short of joining an exclusive list of seven fellow countrymen who have made it to 100 caps and beyond, with it seemingly only a matter of time before he becomes the latest centurion on a distinguished roll of honour.