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Iran football teamThe Indian national football team will have to pull off an upset against the best team in Asia in the shape of Iran in order to keep their 2018 World Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup hopes alive. This will be India's 3rd group match in the World Cup and AFC Asian Cup qualification process.After having lost the first two matches to Guam and Oman, the young Indian side have to get a result against the side who are ranked 115 places above them in the FIFA World rankings. On the other hand, the Iranians who are ranked 40 in the FIFA rankings will be high on confidence from their huge 6-0 win against Guam and will be looking to top their group with a win against the Indian team.Iran has been by far the Asian side in the footballing world with 3 AFC Asian Cups(1968,1972,1976) to their name and will be looking to qualify for their 14th Asian cup in 2019. They have also qualified for 4 World Cups in the past, with the latest one coming in the 2014 World Cup.Let us have a look at 5 Iranian players who can have a huge impact on the game:
#1 Jalal Hosseini
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The 33-year old Iranian defender currently plays for the home-based club Naft Tehran FC in the Persian Gulf Pro League after having agreed a move from his old club Al-Ahli Sports Club on a free transfer.
He has been an integral part of the Iran National team since making his debut for the senior side against Belarus in February 2007. The defender has represented Iran at 3 AFC Asian Cups(2007,2011, 2015) and at the 2014 Brazil FIFA World Cup and is currently the vice-captain of the Iranian national football team.
The centre-back has won three Perian Gulf Pro League titles(2009, 2010, 2011) with the Iranian club Sepahan FC before he joined the Tehran-based club Persepolis FC in the year 2012. While playing for Persepolis FC, he was granted the title of 'Defender of the year' for the 2013-2014 Persian Gulf Pro Season.
He has 96 National caps to his name in which he found the back of the net on 6 occasions.
#2 Sardar Azmoun
Sardar Azmoun is nicknamed ‘Iranian Messi’ by the Iranian media for his blistering pace and the brilliant presence of mind on a football pitch. He is currently loaned out to a Russian Club Rostov after having agreed a deal with the Russian giants Rubin Kazan in 2013.
He made his senior debut in a friendly game against Montenegro in 2014, coming on as a substitute in the 60th minute. The 20-year old striker scored his first goal for Iran in a 1-0 friendly win against South Korea. His performances have attracted the interest of English Giants Liverpool and Arsenal.
He is still fresh from scoring a brace against Guam in the 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier and will look to build on his recent performances against the young Indian side. The striker has played 10 games for the Iran national team and has found the back of the net on 4 occasions.
#3 Andranik Teymourian
The 32-year old defensive midfielder Andranik Teymourian is currently the captain of the Iran National football team and plays for the Qatari side Umm Salal in the Qatar Stars League. In between 2006 and 2010, he played for 3 English clubs wich included stints with London-based Fulham and Bolton Wanderers.
He had represented his nation at 3 AFC Asian Cup(2007,2011,2015) and at 2 World Cups(2006 and 2014) and is now an integral part of the national team’s defensive structure.
The midfielder made his International debut at the 2006 World Cup and became a national hero for Iran following the passionate performances for his national team. In the year 2014, he was awarded the title ‘Iranian footballer of the year’ for his outstanding contribution to the National team.
He was also included in the Iran Pro League Team of the year for his brilliant showing in the 2014-15 season.
#4 Ehsan Hajsafi
Ehsan Hajsafi played for the Iranian club Sepahan FC for almost a decade before making his way to the German club FSV Frankfurt. He made 204 appearances for the Iranian Champions in which he found the back of the net on 28 occasions.
The 25-year old midfielder is now a regular starter for the Iranian National team after having made his debut against Zambia in 2008, a game in which he created two brilliant assists to help Iran win the game by a narrow of margin of 3-2.
He has also won 3 Iran Pro League titles(2007,2011,2014) while his stay at Sepahan FC.
He was adjudged the man of the match in Iran’s 2-0 win against Bahrain after having scored the opening goal for Iran in the 2015 AFC Asian Cup.
#5 Ashkan Dejagah
Ashkan Dejagah currently plays for the Qatari club AL-Arabi in the Qatar Stars League after having signed from the English Premier League club Fulham in 2014. He was part of the Fulham first team in the 2012-13 and 2013-14 season and was voted as the Fulham’s Best Player of the season by the Fulham fans.
The 29-year old winger had previously played for the U-19 and U-21 German National team as he shifted to Germany at the age of 1 and got the German citizenship at the age of 16. He was the part of the 2009 U-21 UEFA Euro Championship squad that went on to win the trophy at the end.
In 2011, he was invited to play for the Iranian National football team and scored 2 goals on his debut against Qatar in the World Cup qualifier. Since then, he is a regular starter for the Iran team and scored on 5 occasions.
