Iran
Coach: Amir Ghalenoei
Starting XI Prediction
Star Players
All Players →
Fixtures
Group G
Group G
| # | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Belgium | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 5 |
| 2 |  Egypt | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 5 |
| 3 | Iran | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 4 |  New Zealand | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 1 |
Full Squad Players List
| # | Player | Pos | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goalkeepers | |||
| 1 | Alireza BeiranvandXI Tractor Sazi Tabriz FC | GK | |
| 12 | Payam Niazmand Persepolis FC | GK | |
| 22 | Hossein Hosseini Sepahan SC | GK | |
| Defenders | |||
| 2 | Saleh Hardani Esteghlal Tehran FC | DEF | |
| 3 | Ehsan Hajsafi Sepahan SC | DEF | |
| 4 | Shoka KhalilzadehXI Tractor Sazi Tabriz FC | DEF | |
| 5 | Milad MohammadiXI Persepolis FC | DEF | |
| 13 | Hossein KanaaniXI Persepolis FC | DEF | |
| 17 | Aria Yousefi Sepahan SC | DEF | |
| 19 | Ali Nemati Foolad Khuzestan FC | DEF | |
| 23 | Ramin RezaeianXI Foolad Khuzestan FC | DEF | |
| 25 | Danial Eiri Malavan Anzali FC | DEF | |
| Midfielders | |||
| 6 | Saeid EzatolahiXI Shabab Al Ahli Club | MID | |
| 7 | Alireza JahanbakhshXI FCV Dender EH | MID | |
| 8 | Mohammad Mohebi FC Rostov | MID | |
| 14 | Saman GhoddosXI Al Ittihad Kalba SCC | MID | |
| 15 | Rouzbeh CheshmiXI Esteghlal Tehran FC | MID | |
| 16 | Mehdi Torabi Tractor Sazi Tabriz FC | MID | |
| 21 | Mohammad Ghorbani Al Wahda SC | MID | |
| 26 | Amir Mohammad Razzaghinia Esteghlal Tehran FC | MID | |
| Forwards | |||
| 9 | Mehdi TaremiXI Olympiacos FC | FWD | |
| 10 | Mehdi GhaediXI Al Nasr SC | FWD | |
| 11 | Ali Alipour Persepolis FC | FWD | |
| 18 | Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh Tractor Sazi Tabriz FC | FWD | |
| 20 | Sasan Moghanloo Al Ittihad Kalba SCC | FWD | |
| 24 | Dennis Dargahi Standard Liège | FWD | |
World Cup History
—
Titles
6
Appearances
15
WC Goals
3
Wins
Best finish: Group stage (1978, 1998, 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022)
Top scorer: Ali Daei (3 goals)
Most capped: Javad Nekounam (12 matches)
Record: 3W – 3D – 12L
Iran are Asia's most consistent World Cup qualifiers behind Japan and South Korea — six appearances, always competitive but never advancing from the group stage. Team Melli are famous for their passionate support, the political significance of their matches, and the 1998 2-1 victory over the United States — one of the most politically charged results in football history.
Tournament Eras
The 1978 Debut
1978Iran made their World Cup debut in Argentina 1978 — drawing 1-1 with Scotland in a match featuring one of the great own goals (Eskandarian put the ball in his own net). They lost to the Netherlands and Peru but announced themselves to the world.
The US Match and Modern Consistency
1998–2022Iran's 2-1 victory over the United States in France 1998 — at the height of US-Iran political tensions — was one of football's most politically charged matches. Both teams exchanged flowers before kick-off. Iran's Hamid Estili and Mehdi Mahdavikia scored. Since then, Iran have qualified steadily but never replicated the result's symbolism. In 2022 they were competitive until the final group games.
Iconic Moments
Beating the United States — 1998
In Lyon, Iran beat the USA 2-1 in the most politically loaded match in World Cup history. Iranian fans brought white flowers; both teams posed together for a photo. After the whistle, Iran's players carried the flag of their nation around the pitch. The significance extended far beyond football.
The Wales Match — 2022 Comeback
Iran trailed Wales 0-0 heading into injury time — then scored twice in stoppage time to win 2-0. The comeback lifted Team Melli to the brink of the knockout rounds. Though they were ultimately eliminated, it was one of 2022's most dramatic final acts.