What do you know about Iran Football?
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The Iran national football team is the national team of Iran and is controlled by the Islamic Republic of Iran Football Federation and is one of the strongest teams in Asia. Iran play their home games in the massive Azadi (Freedom) Stadium which was built in the mid 1970s with a capacity of over 100,000. Iran is also known as Team Melli.\n\nIran won the Asian Cup three times in a row (1968, 1972, 1976) and have finished third four times. In 1978, Iran made its first appearance in the World Cup and lost two of their three group stage games against the Netherlands and Peru. However, they managed to create a shocker by drawing against the famous Scotland side 1-1 on a late Iraj Danaeifard goal.\n\nAfter the 1979 Revolution, football was somewhat neglected and cast aside during the mid 1980s due to internal unrest and the Iran-Iraq War although rumors saying that Iran didn't play football during that time are untrue. Football managed to make its revival in the early 1990s with new talent like Ali Daei, Mehdi Mahdavikia, Khodadad Azizi and Karim Bagheri. In November 1997, Iran qualified for the 1998 World Cup after beating Australia in a controversial playoff series. Both games finished undecided, but Iran qualified due to the away goals rule. Iran held Australia to a 1-1 draw at home, and a 2-2 draw in Melbourne. Because Iran scored more away goals than Australia they qualified for the 1998 World Cup. Iran recorded their first win in the World Cup final tournament in 1998, 2-1 against the USA.\n\nThis Iran vs USA World Cup match was preheated with much excitement on both sides because of the countries political stance on each other after the Revolution in Iran. However, in an act of defiance against all forms of hatred or politics in sports both sides took ceremonial pictures embracing each other and gave each other gifts and flowers before kickoff.\n\nThe number of "footy fanatics" in Iran has increased exponentially in the last two decades. Football can be seen everywhere in Iran. Kids playing football in narrow streets is a very common sight, particularly south and east of Tehran. This style of football named "gol-koocheak" ("small-net") is normally played with the signature purple or red and white balls sold almost in every Iranian "dokoon" or convenience store. Street football is usually played with "dolayeh" ("two-layered") or "selayeh" (triple-layered) plastic balls, because the single rubber ball alone is hard to control. One plastic ball is cut and the other is forced into its hard plastic shell to make a "dolayeh" plastic ball. Because street football is played in small, closed areas (and often with very small nets) children who play football in Iran's streets and similarly Iranian footballers are technically gifted.\n\nOn June 8, 2005, Iran together with Japan became the first country to qualify for the 2006 World Cup making it Iran's 3rd appearance on the world stage of football. The qualification round both in 2001 and 2004-05 resulted in mass celebrations, hysteria and rioting causing internal chaos and unrest between youth and government officials.\n\nIran are, as of 2006, ranked within the Top 20 of the FIFA World Rankings with its current ranking at #19.
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Ali Daei (علی دایی in Persian) (born March 21, 1969) is an Iranian footballer who is a striker for Saba Battery Tehran and the Iran national football team. Daei, the captain of the Iranian national team, is most noted for being the world's all-time leading goal scorer in international matches.\n\nAfter playing for a couple of minor league teams, Taxirani and Bank Tejarat, Daei joined one of the country's premier squads, Persepolis (Pirouzi). As Arminia Bielefeld joined the Bundesliga they signed a contract with Daei and his teammate Karim Bagheri. Many other Persepolis players made contracts with several different foreign clubs at the same time, yet Daei proved to be a very successful franchise. Daei was hand picked for the Bayern Munich club by legendary footballer Franz Beckenbauer, president of the club, who rated him as a world-class centre-forward (although he usually plays as striker). He made a famous four million deutschemark move from Arminia Bielefeld to the four-time European Cup winners, which was a record for Asian players at the time. Daei also opened the door for Vahid Hashemian and Ali Karimi who became the second and third Iranians to join the Bavarians (Bayern Munich).\n\nDaei became the first Asian player to feature in a UEFA Champions League match. Yet with Bayern's 15 international players and the Iranian national team's poor scheduling, Daei had found very little time for playing. In Germany he was known to be a true gentleman, famous for the way he treated the fans. Daei would always sign autographs to Bayern fans and was often the centre of attention, he was featured in OPEL car commercials. Amazingly, he usually did manage to score when given a chance to play. Still, Ali Daei was unhappy with his position in the club and decided to make a move to Hertha BSC Berlin before the end of his three year contract after Bayern won the 1999 Bundesliga. He played in the Champions League with Hertha BSC Berlin, becoming the teams best scorer in the league with 3 goals. His famous match against Chelsea gained him a lot of recognition. Yet even in Hertha he was not the talk of the town, since he was only amongst one of the squad's many successful franchises, who were to fulfill Hertha's Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League dreams.\n\nAt the same time he was very successful in international competition scoring in practically every game and making new records. He played in many World Teams in friendly continental games. Yet Daei was still unable to maintain a stable position in the squads starting line-up. In the year 2001 he was not among the top scorers in the Asian Qualifying round and he did not manage to take the team into the World Cup as captain for the first time. After receiving offers from Rapid Vienna, Rangers, the J. League and a few English Premiership teams, he decided that he was no longer fit to play world-class football. He joined the UAE league at 34 years of age, signing a contract with Al-Shabbab as a free agent. In 2003 Daei quit the UAE team and joined his old team in Tehran, Perspolis FC. Daei moved from Pirouzi to Saba Battery on a free transfer for a modest contract of around 300,000 American dollars.\n\nFamous matches:\n\nIran vs. South Korea (Asian Cup 1996) -- Daei scored four times \n\nIran vs. USA (World Cup 1998) \n\nIran vs. Germany (World Cup 1998) \n\nIran vs. Japan (1999) \n\nHertha BSC Berlin vs. Chelsea (UEFA Champions League 2000) -- Daei scored twice \n\nHertha BSC Berlin vs. Milan (UEFA Champions League 2000) -- Daei scored once \n\nIran vs. Lebanon (2003) -- Daei passes Puskás \n\nIran vs. Laos (2004) -- Daei's 100th international goal
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Kaka thinks that Iran stands no chance in the global footballing arena. Although he respects Iran, he finds that their team is too shallow in defence, too disorganised for midfield and too weak for striking.
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Iran ,(Ali karimi) gonna be star
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Of course Iran. Mexico is a weak overrated team that plays the weakest of all. While Iran in order to qualify had to always play teams like Japan, Korea, Australia or Ireland. \n\nThis world cup, Iran will teach Mexico what German and Aryan soccer is all about. Chaparitos will realize that in order to be very proud you have to be good and no to just bluff. Iran knows Mexico is overrated and that's why Iran will win.
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Meu caro portuguesinho (Francisco, não é assim?), I don't think that most Iranian fouls were intentional. The one on Figo certainly wasn't.\n\nAs for your concerns/predictions, you are right to be worried about Argentina, which has a formidable team and may be your opponent in the next round. Don't worry about Spain or Brazil (yet) -- think instead of Holland, which is the other possible opponent.\n\nAnd -- do not dismiss Brazil. You are being a bit too hasty.\n\nFelicidades e boa sorte (e viva Deco!)
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My team is Mexico but I really hope for Iranians to advance they were a great match and good people.I loved that detail of Iranian goalkeeper to Oswaldo for the loss of his father\nIranian people my best wishes!!!
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Expect surprizes from Iran. Their Croatian coach has done alot of their team.
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Some dodgy defending and mis-understanding between goalkeeper and defender!\nThat was Iran's 'secret weapon'.
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he is veteran in the Iranian football. played for Iran in the last world cup. also selected for 2006 world cup. also play in Bundesliga.
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this is so last week but ok, I will refresh your mind. First, Iran didn't play their best, second, luck played no part in this game, \n3 - 1 doesn't seem like luck to me. Lastly, Mexico has been around way more than Iran. We beat Brazil last year in Copa Confederaciones and some of the players play with European teams. Iran is not bad but you cant expect them to win the cup anyway. Sorry.
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A country that is muslim like Iran
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One of these team can win the World Cup , Italy , Argentina , Iran
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Ali Karimi - Iran - FC Bayern Munich
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1 game.\n3-1 iran.\nother is 0-0 draw with angola
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Javad Kazemian:  Scorer of the important goal against Japan in the final of the Asian Football games in Busan, South Korea.\n\nHe played in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship and was a member of the U21 squad and the Olympic teams. A fast quick thinking player who loves to operate on the flanks utilizing his good acceleration to penetrate defenses.\n\nHad a spell with Al Ahli of Dubai where he partnered Ali Karimi.\n\n    * Nationality  :  iran (islamic republic of)\n    * Date of birth :  23/04/1981\n    * Position :  Midfield\n    * Height :  1.74 m\n    * Weight :  69 kg\n    \nteams:\n2000-2002 Saipa Karadj\n2002-2003 Al Ahli\n2003-2003 Saipa Karadj\nSince 2003 Pirouzi\n\ninternational debut:\nIran v. China PR (19-Jan-2001)\n\ninternational caps:\n25 (as at 05/06/2006)
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a team that HASNT won the WC yet?\niran & portugal. :) i hope they win it sometime in MY lifetime, lol, i wanna be alive to see them win. :) especially iran!\n\nyeah, i know how it is to want your home country to win! well, i live in the usa and was born here, but dont want them to win! lol. but like iran, im seriously dreaming for wanting them to win! :) but i hope they do, lol.\n\nno, i cant blame you for dreaming. :)