IRAN

It has been nearly a decade since Beiranvand established himself as Iran’s first-choice goalkeeper and he gained widespread popularity after stopping Cristiano Ronaldo's penalty at the 2018 World Cup. In recent years, however, he has been surrounded by controversy owing to some unusual statements and his departure from Persepolis. His performances for the national team have declined since his move to Tractor, leading some critics to call for his removal from Iran’s starting lineup. His famous penalty save against Ronaldo has become so ingrained in popular culture that it has been recreated in recent years in two Iranian TV series, The Rebel and The Savage, as part of their storylines. In addition, following his standout performances at Russia 2018, a film based on his turbulent life story was produced – another strong showing this summer could inspire a sequel.

Carlos Queiroz’s decade-long spell with Iran had a significant impact on the national team, and one of his lasting legacies is the integration of dual-nationality or second-generation Iranian players born outside the country. One such player is Saman Ghoddos, born in Malmö, Sweden, to Iranian parents. He even represented Sweden in two full internationals but, when he realised he would not be included in Sweden’s 2018 World Cup squad, he accepted Queiroz’s invitation to play for Iran. This decision marked a historic turning point. One of his set-piece deliveries against Morocco in the 2018 World Cup led to an own goal, helping Iran secure one of its most memorable victories in World Cup history. At club level Ghoddos made his name at Östersund under Graham Potter, where he helped the club win the Swedish Cup and was named Swedish Forward of the Year. As his career progressed, he gradually moved into deeper positions. At Brentford under Thomas Frank, he was even deployed as a full-back. For the national team, however, Ghoddos is typically used as a hard-working central midfielder who contributes in attack, with a powerful long-range shot.

No player in Iranian football embraces showmanship quite like Rezaeian. Having played for all three of Iran’s biggest clubs – Persepolis, Esteghlal and Sepahan – he rarely does anything without adding a touch of flair. He etched his name into Iranian football history at the 2022 World Cup by scoring Iran’s second goal against Wales. Still, judging by his pinned Instagram post, his encounter with Cristiano Ronaldo at the 2018 World Cup appears to hold even greater personal significance. Speaking about that match on a TV show, he said: “I really like Ronaldo, and it felt strange to play against him. I messed around with him a bit … I even told him: ‘If you don’t like it, switch sides and go play over there.’” Rezaeian is an attack-minded right-back, which often leaves space behind him for opponents to exploit.