Category: Squad

Team Melli head coach announces 21-Player Squad for Upcoming Matches

The head coach of Iran’s national football team, Amir Ghalenoei, has unveiled a 21-player squad for the upcoming two matches against UAE and Uzbekistan in the qualifying rounds of the FIFA World Cup 2026. This selection reflects a more refined approach to the domestic Premier League, as Ghalneoi and his assistants appear to have been actively scouting new talent.

After facing criticism for previous call-ups, which was mainly the same old players, Ghalenoei has adjusted his selection strategy, omitting two players who were deemed to have underperformed—one of whom is Saeed Saharkhizan, a promising young talent who has struggled in recent months. The other is more experienced yet short of form, Shahriar Moghanloo , who plays alongside Ghaedi and Ghoddos in Ittihad Kalba in the UAE league, who is absent from the new squad.

One of the most significant inclusions is Ali Alipour, the Persepolis striker and current top scorer in the Premier League. His selection is widely regarded as a positive move, bringing in-form domestic talent into the Team Melli setup. While some invitees have seen a dip in form at their respective clubs, the overall process of generational transition within the national team appears to be on the right track.

Premier League Representation in the Squad

Although foreign-based players still constitute the majority of the squad, the selection from Iran’s domestic league is notable. Sepahan leads the way with four representatives: Payam Niazmand, Amin Hezbavi, Arya Yousefi, and Mohammad Karimi. Persepolis follows with three players—Milad Mohammadi, Hossein Kanani, and Ali Alipour. Malavan contributes two players, Omid Norafkan and Daniyal A. Rey, while Aluminum Arak (Mohammad Khalifa) and Foolad (Ali Nemati) also have players in the squad.

Several newcomers have made the list, including:

  • Ali Alipour (Persepolis) – Strictly speaking,the Premier League’s top scorer with 10 goals, is not new in Team Melli. He has been called before but not managed to be a fixture in the squad.
  • Mohammad Khalifa (Aluminum Arak) – A promising young goalkeeper who has shown remarkable form for his club.
  • Daniyal A. Rey (Malavan) – A 20-year-old defender who played the first half of the season at Zob Ahan. He is a player that made a big impact with his club and his form earned praise from critics.

National Team Preparations

To fine-tune the squad before the decisive matches against the UAE and Uzbekistan, Ghalenoei has planned to observe two domestic match on Sunday: Zob Ahan vs. Esteghlal Tehran and a separate fixture involving Tractor Tabriz. More players are expected to be added to the list. Additionally, Gol Gohar Sirjan’s inclusion of new players in the camp suggests that the team will enter these crucial encounters with a refreshed and competitive lineup.

With a blend of experienced legionnaires and emerging domestic talents, Iran’s national team aims to strengthen its position in the upcoming fixtures.

The 21 players list:


GOALKEEPERS:
Payam Niazam (Sepahan), Mohammad Khalifa (Aluminum),

Defenders:

Milad Mohammadi and Mohammad Hossein Kananizadegan (Persepolis),
Omid Norafkan and Danial Ai Ray (Malvan),
Ali Nemati (Foulad),
Amin Hezbawi and Aria Yousefi (Sepahan),

Midfielders:

Mohammad Mohebi (Rostov, Russia),
Mehdi Ghaedi and Saman Ghodoos (Etihad Kalba UAE),
Saeed Ezzatollahi (Shabab Al-Ahli, UAE),
Mohammad Ghorbani (Al-Wahda, UAE),
Mohammad Karimi (Sepahan),
Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Heerenveen, Netherlands),
Ali Gholizadeh (Lakh Poznan, Poland),

Forwards:

Mehdi Taremi (Inter Milan, Italy),
Javad Hosseinnejad (Dynamo Makhachkala, Russia),
Ali Alipour (Persepolis),
Sardar Azmoun (Shabab Al-Ahli, UAE).

Team Melli squad announced.

Team Melli will play Hong Kong on June 6th and four days later, will host Uzbekistan in the final match of the preliminary stage of the World Cup 2026. The matches are insignificant to Team Melli as both Iran and Uzbekistan have qualified for the next stage. The match against the Uzbek will decide who tops the group.

Iran is in Group E of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers along with Uzbekistan, Hong Kong, and Turkmenistan. The names of the players invited to the squad for the two last matches of the group were announced by head coach Amir Ghalenoei as follows:

Goalkeepers:

Alireza Beiranvand, Payam Niazmand, Hossein Pourhamidi

Defenders:

Shoja Khalilzadeh, Hossein Kanaanizadegan, Amin Hizbavi, Aref Gholami, Saleh Hardani, Milad Mohammadi, Abolfazl Jalali, Arya Yousefi

Midfielders:

Omid Nourafkan, Saman Ghoddos, Mohammad Ghorbani, Saeed Mehri, Allhayar Sayyadmanesh, Mehdi Limuchi, Mehdi Torabi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh

Forwards:

Mehdi Taremi, Javad Aghaeipour, Sardar Azmoun, Javad Hossein-Nejad , Shariyar Moghanlou, Mehdi Ghaeydi and Mohammad Reza Azadi.

Squad announced for Turkmenistan matches.

Iran’s national football team will face Turkmenistan in the preliminary stage of the World Cup on 21st March in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium. This match will be held at 19:30. Iran’s national football team will play the first leg against Turkmenistan on the 21st and then will travel to play away in Turkmenistan on March 26th

Iran is in Group E of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers along with Uzbekistan, Hong Kong, and Turkmenistan. The names of the players invited to the squad for this match were announced by head coach Amir Ghalenoei as follows:

Goalkeepers:

Alireza Beiranvand, Payam Niazmand, Seyed Hossein Hosseini, Aria Shakouri

Defenders:

Shoja Khalilzadeh, Hossein Kanaanizadegan, Amin Hizbavi, Saman Fallah, Ramin Rezaeian, Saleh Hardani, Milad Mohammadi, Abolfazl Jalali, Hossein Goudarzi

Midfielders:

Omid Nourafkan, Saman Ghoddos Saeed Ezzatollahi, Mohammad Ghorbani, Ali Gholizadeh, Allhayar Sayyadmanesh, Mehdi Limuchi, Mehdi Torabi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh

Forwards:

Mehdi Taremi, Javad Aghaeipour, Sardar Azmoun, Mohammad Reza Azadi , Saeed Saharkhizan , Mohammad Mohebi, Mehdi Ghaeydi,

Saleh Hardani added to the Team Melli squad

According to the Football Federation website, Dinamo Zagreb right-back Sadegh Moharrami is out of the squad for the Four Nations tournament in Jordan due to an injury in a club match. His replacement is Saleh Hardani.

The updated list is as follows:

Alireza Biranvand, Payam Niazmand, Seyed Hossein Hosseini
Ehsan Haj Safi, Milad Mohammadi, Shojaa Khalilzadeh, Mohammad Hossein Kananizadegan, Morteza Pouraliganji, Mohammad Daneshgar, Amin Hizbavi, Saleh Hardani, Ramin Rezaeian, Roozbeh Cheshmi

Saeid Ezzatollahi, Ahmad Noorollahi, Mohammad Mohebi, Javad Hosseinnejad, Saman Ghoddos,

Mehdi Taremi, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Mehrdad Mohammadi, Karim Ansarifard, and Sardar Azmoun

In the first session of training, only 10 players turned up with the rest of the players trickling in from several destinations. Persepolis players were given a rest after their match to recover.

Squad for Jordan Tournament

Amir Ghalenoei has invited 23 players to form the squad for the upcoming Jordan International Football tournament that will be held in the Jordanian capital as of 13th October.

The list, which is hardly exciting includes the return of two former players Karim Ansarifard and Mehrdad Mohammadi but also includes one unfamiliar name in Mohammad Javad Hosseinnejad . the only new invitee.

Several players were dropped for one reason or another including Ali Gholizadeh now playing in the Polish league, Majid Hosseini who is in Turkey along with Ali Karimi, and Persepolis midfielder Mehdi Torabi, who had a slight injury but has already started recovery training with his club.

Other notable absentees are Shariyar Moghanlou. who performed poorly in the last match for Team Melli, Reza Asadi, and Sayyadmanesh who has not been doing well with his English club Hull City.

The list sees the return of the naughty boy KAnanizadegan after her was left out for the last two games due to disciplinary reasons following his childish act during the final of the CAFA Nations Cup in Tashkent.

The 20-year-old Javad Hosseinnejad was one of the few players who played well for the Omid team. He plays his club football with Sepahan.

Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand, Payam Niazmand Seyed Hossein Hosseini

Defenders: Sadegh Moharrami, Ramin Rezaiean, Morteza Pouraliganji, Amin Hizbavi, Mohammad Daneshgar, Shojaá Khalilzadeh, Mohammad Hossein Kananizadegan, Ehsan Hajsafi, Milad Mohammadi

Midfielders: Saeed Ezzatollahi, Ahmad Noorollahi, Roozbeh Cheshmi, Saman Ghoddus, Alireza Jahanbakhsh and Mohammad Javad Hosseinnejad

Forwards: Mehrdad Mohammadi, Mehdi Tarimi, Mohammad Mohebi, Sardar Azmoun and Karim Ansarifard

Amir Ghalenoei announces his first squad

Amir Ghalenoei has picked up his first squad ahead of the two international friendlies against Russia and then Kenya both in Azadi Stadium, Tehran.

There were no major surprises as the bulk of the previous Team Melli squad was picked. Ghalenoei, however, did not call eight players from the previous squad of Carlos Queiroz. Karim Ansarifard, Saman Ghoddos, Ali Karimi, Milad Mohammadi, Abolfazl Jalali, Morteza Pouraliganji,  Amir Abedzadeh and Majid Hosseini. Apart from the latter who is injured, the rest have been suffering performance issues or warming their club’s benches.

One of the notable absentees is Allahyar Sayyadmanesh, of Hull City in the championship. Although he is back after a longish injury deprived him of playing, it seems that Sayyadmanesh still requires more time to fully recover.

 

Of the new players, many of them passed 25 years of age bracket, Hezbavi of Team Melli U19, is the most significant. Despite his good performance in Uzbekistan in the AFC U19  Asian Cup 2023, he was unable to lead the team to the finals, although his selection to Team Melli is a good consolation.

 

the squad

Position No. Player Club Age Caps
MF 1 Ahmad Nourollahi Shabab Al Ahli (UAE) 29 28
MF 2 Ali Gholizadeh Kasimspor (TUR) 26 29
MD 3 Alireza Jahanbakhsh Feyenoord (NED) 29 66
GK 4 Alireza Beiranvand Persepolis (IRA) 30 54
FW 5 Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh Charleroi (BEL) 22 3
DF 6 Aref Aghasi Foolad Khuzestan (IRN) 26 2
DF 7 Armin Sohrabian Gol Gohar Sirjan (IRN) 27 0
MF 8 Ehsan Hajsafi AEK Athens (GRE) 32 122
GK 9 Hossein Hosseini Esteghlal (IRA) 30 8
FW 10 Hossein Kanaani Al Ahli (QAT) 28 36
GK 11 Hossein Pourhamidi Aluminum( Arak (IRN) 24 0
DF 12 Mehdi Hosseini Mes Rafsanjan IRI) 29 0
FW 13 Mehdi Taremi Porto (POR) 30 63
MF 14 Mehdi Torabi Persepolis (IRA) 29 39
MF 15 Milad Sarlak Persepolis (IRA) 27 11
MF 16 Milad Zakipour Sepahan (IRA) 27 0
DF 17 Mohammad Amin Hizbavi Foolad Khuzestan (IRN) 19 0
FW 18 Mohammad Hossein Eslami Zob Ahan (IRI) 22 0
MF 19 Mohammad Karimi Sepahan (IRA) 26 0
MF 20 Mohammad Mohebi Esteghlal (IRA) 24 3
DF 21 Omid Noorafken Sepahan (IRA) 25 15
GK 22 Payam Niazmand Sepahan (IRA) 27 1
FW 23 Ramin Rezaeian Sepahan (IRA) 32 48
FW 24 Reza Asadi Tractor Tabriz (IRI) 27 0
FW 25 Reza Shekhari Gol Gohar Sirjan (IRI) 24 0
GK 26 Roozbeh Cheshmi Esteghlal (IRA) 30 21
DF 27 Sadegh Moharrami Dinamo Zagreb (CRO) 26 21
MF 28 Saeid Ezatolahi Vejle (DEN) 26 50
FW 29 Sardar Azmoun Bayer Leverkusen (GER) 27 68
FW 30 Shahriar Mughanloo Sepahan (IRA) 28 0
DF 31 Shoja Khalilzadeh Al Ahli (QAT) 33 25
MF 32 Vahid Amiri Persepolis (IRA) 34 68

Team Melli flies to Doha after finalizing the squad.

Carlos Queiroz announced Team Melli’s squad for the FIFA World Cup 2022 with predictable familiar names but with a bit of a small twist. The team flew to Doha to start preparation which includes a friendly game behind closed doors against Tunisia in Doha on 16th Nov.

A couple of additions to the squad that was not in the normal Queiroz favorites list are Ali Karimi and Abolfazl Jalali. These two additions plus the surprise omission of Omid  Noorafkan, are generating a few interesting discussions amongst the faithful Team Melli fans.

By selecting these players, Iran’s team is officially the oldest team in the FIFA World Cup 2022.

Confirmed squad

Goalkeepers: Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis), Amir Abedzadeh (Ponferradina), Seyed Hossein Hosseini (Esteghlal), Payam Niazmand (Sepahan)

Defenders: Ehsan Hajsafi (AEK Athens), Morteza Pouraliganji (Persepolis), Ramin Rezaeian (Sepahan), Milad Mohammadi (AEK Athens), Hossein Kanaanizadegan (Al Ahli), Shojae Khalilzadeh (Al Ahli), Sadegh Moharrami (Dinamo Zagreb), Rouzbeh Cheshmi (Esteghlal), Majid Hosseini (Kayserispor), Abolfazl Jalali (Esteghlal)

Midfielders: Ahmad Noorollahi (Shabab Al Ahli), Saman Ghoddos (Brentford), Vahid Amiri (Persepolis), Saeid Ezatolahi (Vejle), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (Feyenoord), Mehdi Torabi (Persepolis), Ali Gholizadeh (Charleroi), Ali Karimi (Kayserispor)

Forwards: Karim Ansarifard (Omonia Nicosia), Sardar Azmoun (Bayer Leverkusen), Mehdi Taremi (Porto)

Latest call ups to Team Melli

Team Melli’s second technical evaluation camp was held this evening while 17 players were called up to the camp by Carlos Queiroz. In addition to the previous 16 players, the Portuguese coach called up Tractor goalkeeper Mohammad Reza Akhbari to join the squad.

The amended list of the camp is as follows:

Goalkeeper:
Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis), Seyed Hossein Hosseini (Esteghlal), Payam Niazmand (Sepahan), Mohammad Reza Akhbari (Tractor),

Defenders:
Ramin Rezaian (Sepahan), Omid Nourafken ( Sepahan), Morteza Pouraliganji (Persepolis), Saman Fallah (Peykan), Abolfazl Jalali (Esteghlal), Armin Sohrabian (Gol gohar)

Midfield:
Mehdi Mahdipour (Esteghlal), Rozbe Cheshmi (Esteghlal), Milad Sarlak (Persepolis), Vahid Amiri ( Persepolis), Mohammad Khodabandelou (Gol gohar)

Forwards:
Mohammad Mohebi (Esteghlal), Mehdi Torabi (Persepolis)

The Iranian national football players introduced themselves to Carlos Queiroz and the management staff of the team at noon today to participate in three training sessions this week.  Today’s list of selected players in the domestic Premier League means that some of the former players such as Mehdi Ghayedi, Danial Esmailifar, Soroush Rafiei, and Shahriar Mughanlou, hopes of taking part in the world Cup have ended.

Iran’s national football team will face England, Wales, and the USA in Group B of the 2022 World Cup.

Quiroz names Team Melli list for Austria camp.

Queiroz announced his final list of players who will be forming the squad for the Training Camp in Austria including two international friendlies versus Uruguay and Senegal.

Goalkeepers
Alireza Beiranvand, Amir Abedzadeh, Hossein Hosseini, Payam Niazmand

Defenders:
Ramin Rezaeian, Sadegh Moharammi, Saleh Hardani, Hossein Kanaanizadegan, Majid Hosseini, Morteza Pouraliganji, Shojaa Khalilzadeh, Abolfazl Jalali, Milad Mohammadi, Omid Noorafkan

Midfielders
Omid Ebrahimi , Saeed Ezzatollahi, Milad Sarlak, Saman Ghoddos, Ahmad Noorollahi, Ehsan Haj Safi, Vahid Amiri.

Forwards:
Ali Gholizadeh, Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Mehdi Torabi, Mehdi Taremi, Karim Ansarifard, Sardar Azmoun.

As expected, Queiroz who was away from Iranian football since early 2019, elected to pick his old guards to take to Qatar. Players like Ansarifard, whose total playing time in the last few months did not exceed 90 minutes are included as are Ghoddos and Ezzarotlahi both fringe players in their teams. Vahid Amiri, a long-time senior player who has been on the injury list was also picked although it is reported that he is not quite ready and short of match practice. Amiri has been given special recovery training.

Queiroz not surprisingly picked another of his old guards, Rezaeian for the right back position. There was a surprise in naming Abolfazl Jalali a player who is not familiar to him, but the biggest surprise was his inclusion of Shojaá Khalilzadeh.

Team Melli’s central defense in the qualifiers, consisting of Khalilzadeh and Kananizadeh was formidable and had a large role to play in the qualification. However, Queiroz and Khalilzadeh have not been on good terms. Some observers were predicting that Shojaá will be ignored by the Portuguese. Perhaps, Queiroz’s peers advised him against excluding Khalikzadeh.

New list of domestic players published for Team Melli camp

The list of invited players has been published while the new/old coach hasn’t set foot in Iran and has hardly seen a single league match in action.

FFIRI on behalf of Carlos Queiroz announced the names of 24 players who are invited to the Team Melli camp. The names of the footballers domestic league players are as follows:

Goalkeepers:

Payam Nazamand (Sepahan)
Hossein Hosseini (Esteghlal)
Alireza Beiranvand (Persepolis)

Defenders: 

Ramin Rezaeian and Omid Nourafken (Sepahan)
Mehdi Shiri and Aref Agassi (Foolad Khuzestan)
Saleh Hardani and Abolfazl Jalali (Esteghlal)
Saman Fallah (Peykan)
Armin Sohrabian (Gol Gohar)
Mortezapour Pouraliganji (Persepolis)

Midfielders:
Mehdi Mehdipour (Esteghlal)
Mohammad Karimi and Yasin Salmani (Sepahan)
Reza Asadi (Tractorsazi)
Mehdi Hosseini (Mes Rafsanjan)
Mohammad Khodabandelou (Gol Gohar)
Milad Sarlak (Persepolis)

Forwards:
Mohammad Mohebi and Mehdi Gheydi (Esteghlal)
Saeed Sadeghi, Mehdi Torabi (Persepolis)
Shahriar Mughanlou (Sepahan)

The above players are required to be present at the Olympic Hotel on Wednesday, September 13th at 12:00. The list of Legionnaire players will be announced later through the official website of the Football Federation at the appropriate time.