As well as Azmoun, intel is that Sayyadmanesh (Westerlo) and Hosseinnejad (Machatsjkala - relegation bound club in Russia) have also been banned from the national team by the regime.
Ali Gholizadeh (winger) is another big out for them after sustaining a serious knee injury (ACL tear) while playing for Lech Poznań in the Polish league. Earlier in the season he scored against Paulsen's Gdansk.
Basically they are an older, very street wise experienced side. Expect a bit of rolling around the turf, milking any contact etc.
Are their any fractures in their team due differing views on the regime, and the war?
Who knows.
Head coach Amir Ghalenoei announced a 30-man preliminary Iran squad for the 2026 World Cup on May 17, 2026, featuring a mix of domestic and international players, notably omitting forward Sardar Azmoun. The squad, dominated by players from the Persian Gulf Pro League and several in European and West Asian leagues, will be trimmed to 26 by June 1.
Goalkeepers
Ali Gholizadeh (winger) is another big out for them after sustaining a serious knee injury (ACL tear) while playing for Lech Poznań in the Polish league. Earlier in the season he scored against Paulsen's Gdansk.
Basically they are an older, very street wise experienced side. Expect a bit of rolling around the turf, milking any contact etc.
Are their any fractures in their team due differing views on the regime, and the war?
Who knows.
Head coach Amir Ghalenoei announced a 30-man preliminary Iran squad for the 2026 World Cup on May 17, 2026, featuring a mix of domestic and international players, notably omitting forward Sardar Azmoun. The squad, dominated by players from the Persian Gulf Pro League and several in European and West Asian leagues, will be trimmed to 26 by June 1.
Goalkeepers
- Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis)
- Seyed Hossein Hosseini (Esteghlal)
- Payam Niazmand (Sepahan)
- Mohammad Khalifeh (Persepolis)
Defenders
- Ehsan Hajsafi (AEK Athens)
- Milad Mohammadi (Persepolis)
- Omid Noorafkan (Sepahan)
- Shoja Khalilzadeh (Tractor)
- Ali Nemati (Persepolis)
- Hossein Kanaani (Persepolis)
- Danial Eiri (Tractor)
- Ramin Rezaeian (Foolad)
- Saleh Hardani (Esteghlal)
Midfielders
- Saman Ghoddos (Kalba)
- Rouzbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal)
- Amir Mohammad Razzaghinia (Kia Football Academy)
- Saeid Ezatolahi (Shabab Al Ahli)
- Mohammad Ghorbani (Al Wahda)
- Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Feyenoord)
- Aria Yousefi (Sepahan)
- Mohammad Mohebi (Rostov)
- Mehdi Ghaedi (Ittihad Kalba)
- Mehdi Torabi (Persepolis)
Forwards
- Mehdi Taremi (Olympiacos)
- Hadi Habibinejad (Nassaji)
- Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh (Tractor)
- Amirhossein Mahmoudi (Malavan)
- Dennis Dargahi (Union Saint-Gilloise)
- Kasra Taheri (Rubin Kazan)
- Ali Alipour (Gil Vicente)