Amir Ghalenoei has announced Team Melli’s squad for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifiers, with an away match against Uzbekistan and a home game against Qatar. Alongside familiar names, Ghalenoei has introduced two new, unfamiliar faces as part of his ongoing project to inject younger talent into the squad.

Notable Absentees

The squad will be missing one key player due to injury while some others due to strategic decisions. Hossein Kanani is sidelined with an injury, and three senior players—Ehsan Hajsafy, Karim Ansarifard, and Ramin Rezaeian—have been excluded from the team. This marks a significant shift as Ghalenoei looks to build a more dynamic and youthful team. It seems that the three senior players are destined to retire from Team Melli.

Rising Star: Mohammad Mahdi Zare

One of the most notable inclusions is Mohammad Mahdi Zare, a 21-year-old, 192 cm tall defender from Gol Gohar Sirjan Club. Zare has been a standout performer this season, seizing the opportunity presented by Masih Zahedi’s injury. Despite only sitting on the bench for the first game in a 1-0 defeat, Zare has since been a crucial part of a defensive line that has conceded only one goal in the subsequent five matches.

The list includes the welcome return of Mohammad Mohebbi after a long period of absence due to injury that disrupted his excellent performance with the Russian Club FC Rostov.

Strategic Decisions and Future Prospects

While it is unlikely that Ghalenoei will field Zare in the challenging matches against Uzbekistan and Qatar, the young defender’s inclusion in the squad is seen as a valuable opportunity for him to gain experience and prepare for future competitions. Ghalenoei’s strategy of integrating younger players is aimed at ensuring the long-term success and sustainability of Team Melli.

As Team Melli prepares for these crucial qualifiers, the blend of experienced players and emerging talents like Zare reflects Ghalenoei’s vision for a balanced and competitive team. The upcoming matches will not only test the team’s current capabilities but also provide a glimpse into the future of Iranian football.

THE SQUAD

No.	Post	Player	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Goals	Club
1	GK	Alireza Beiranvand	21 September 1992 (age 32)	73	0	Tractor
12	GK	Payam Niazmand	6 April 1995 (age 29)	9	0	Sepahan
22	GK	Hossein Hosseini	30 June 1992 (age 32)	11	0	Esteghlal
2	DF	Saleh Hardani	26 December 1998 (age 25)	8	0	Sepahan
4	DF	Shojae Khalilzadeh	14 May 1989 (age 35)	44	2	Tractor
5	DF	Milad Mohammadi	29 September 1993 (age 31)	63	1	Persepolis
15	DF	Amin Hazbavi	6 May 2003 (age 21)	3	0	Sepahan
18	DF	Abolfazl Jalali	26 June 1998 (age 26)	6	0	Esteghlal
23	DF	Aria Yousefi	22 April 2002 (age 22)	4	0	Sepahan
24	DF	Ali Nemati	7 February 1996 (age 28)	0	0	Foolad Khuzestan
	DF	Mohammad Daneshgar	24 January 1994 (age 30)	2	0	Sepahan
	DF	Mehdi Zare	25 January 2003 (age 21)	0	0	Gol Gohar Sirjan
3	MF	Mohammad Ghorbani	21 May 2001 (age 23)	4	0	Orenburg
6	MF	Saeid Ezatolahi	1 October 1996 (age 28)	70	1	Shabab Al Ahli
7	MF	Alireza Jahanbakhsh	11 August 1993 (age 31)	86	17	Free agent
10	MF	Mehdi Ghayedi	5 December 1998 (age 25)	21	8	Ittihad Kalba
11	MF	Ali Gholizadeh	10 March 1996 (age 28)	38	6	Lech Poznań
14	MF	Saman Ghoddos	6 September 1993 (age 31)	54	3	Ittihad Kalba
16	MF	Mehdi Torabi	10 September 1994 (age 30)	51	7	Tractor
17	MF	Mohammad Karimi	20 June 1996 (age 28)	4	0	Sepahan
21	MF	Omid Noorafkan	9 April 1997 (age 27)	24	1	Malavan
	MF	Mohammad Mohebi	20 December 1998 (age 25)	23	6	Rostov
	MF	Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh	30 October 2000 (age 23)	3	0	Tractor
	MF	Javad Hosseinnejad	26 June 2003 (age 21)	2	0	FC Dynamo Makhachkala
9	FW	Mehdi Taremi	18 July 1992 (age 32)	87	51	Inter Milan
19	FW	Shahriyar Moghanlou	21 December 1994 (age 29)	11	2	Ittihad Kalba
20	FW	Sardar Azmoun	1 January 1995 (age 29)	85	53	Shabab Al Ahli