Iran - World Cup 2006 Team Profile

World Cup Match Tickets

Third Time Lucky?

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Iran are appearing in their third World Cup finals and the soccer-mad nation has hopes of making it out of the group stages for the first time in their history.

Drawn in Group D along with Portugal, Mexico and Angola, the hope of further progress to the second round may not be misplaced.

Iranian football is on the up after winning the Asian Games in 2002 and finishing third at the Asian Cup in 2005. Many of Iran's key players have vital experience of playing in the German Bundesliga. Midfielders Ali Karimi (Bayern Munich), Mehdi Mahdavikia (SV Hamburg) and Ferydoon Zandi (Kaiserslautern) along with forward Vahid Hashemian (Hannover) are already well-known to the large ex-pat Iranian community in Germany. Veteran Ali Daei, the leading scorer in the international game with 107 goals in 143 - though none at the World Cup - also spent much of his career in Germany.

Since qualification was secured along with Japan from their group, however, results have not been so impressive and have included defeats to Queen's Park Rangers (0-3) last summer, Macedonia in November (1-2) and a 3-2 win over Costa Rica in March.

Croat coach, Branko Ivankovic, who took over from fellow countryman Miroslav Blazevic in 2002, seems to have settled for a more attacking 4-4-2 system to accommodate his German-based players alongside the still-potent Ali Daei.

The defence is anchored by Serie A hardman Rahman Rezaei, who plays his football with Messina, but the rest of the back line will lack for experience at this level. Ebrahim Mizapour, with over 60 caps is the first choice in goal.

Iran may not be the bookies' favorites to make it out of their group ahead of higher-ranked Portugal and Mexico, but they could yet surprise either or both of these two teams, given their players' German experience and fervent support.

INTERNATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS

• Asian Cup Winners 1968, 1972 and 1976.
• Asian Games Winners 1974, 1990, 1998, and 2002
WORLD CUP RECORD
2 appearances (1978, 1998)
COLOURS
White shirts with red and green piping, white shorts, white socks with a green trim.

TEAM STARS

Ali Daie Saba Battery (Tehran)

Iran's veteran captain, Ali Daei, 37, holds the world record of scoring over 100 international goals but has yet got to register in a World Cup. Daie, nicknamed Shahriar (The King) has scored for Hertha Berlin against both Chelsea and AC Milan, making him the first Asian scorer in the European Champions League.

Vahid Hashemian - Hannover 96

Vahid Hashemian, 30, the fourth top scorer in the German Bundesliga in the 2003-4 season while playing for Bochum was signed by Bayern Munich before being transferred to Hanover 96. Nicknamed the "Iranian helicopter" in Germany due to his ability to freeze in the air while heading, Hashemian's return to the national team boosted Iran's qualification chances and his goals were instrumental in taking Iran to the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

Rahman Rezaei - Messina

Rahman Rezai, 31, one of Iran's main stalwarts in defence plays for Messina in Serie A.
Nicknamed "the secretary of defence" due to his capabilities and experience at the back as a no-nonsense defender.

Ali Karimi - Bayern Munich

Ali Karimi, 27, one of Iran's most technically-gifted players is nicknamed Jadoogar (the Sorcerer) by his compatriots because of his stunning dribbling and eye for the killer pass. Karimi has started well for Bayern Munich and is widely expected to make his mark at World Cup 2006. Karimi also seems to have curbed his volatile temper which saw him banned for a year after kicking a referee in 1998.

Mehdi Mahdavikia - Hamburg SV

Mehdi Mahdavikia, 29, the scorer of Iran's second goal against the US in the 1998 World Cup could become Iran's first player to score in two World Cups if he finds the net in 2006. Mahdavikia, Hamburg's longest serving player, is nicknamed the "Iranian rocket" in the Bundesliga because of his speed. Mahdavikia has consistently been a key player for the national team with his assists from the right wing.

World Cup Squad

Bet on the World Cup

Goalkeepers Ebrahim Mirzapour (Foolad Khuzestan), Vahid Talebloo (Esteghlal Tehran), Hassan Roudbarian (Pas)
Defenders Yahya Golmohammadi (Saba Battery), Mohammad Nosrati (Pas), Rahman Rezaei (Messina, Italy), Sattar Zare (Bargh Shiraz), Hossein Kaabi (Foolad Khuzestan), Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh (Saba Battery), Amir Hossein Sadeqi (Esteghlal Tehran)
Midfielders Javad Nekounam (Sharjah, United Arab Emirates), Anderanik Teymourian (Abomoslem Khorasan), Mehdi Mahdavikia (Hamburg, Germany), Fereydoon Zandi (Kaiserslautern, Germany), Ali Karimi (Bayern Munich, Germany), Mehrzad Madanchi (Persepolis), Javad Kazemian (Persepolis)
Forwards Ali Daei (Saba Battery), Vahid Hashemian (Hanover, Germany), Reza Enayati (Esteghlal Tehran), Arash Borhani (Pas), Masoud Shojai (Saipa), Rasoul Khatibi (Sepahan Isfahan)

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