Team Melli vs higher FIFA ranked opponents friendly matches and tournaments

[Rooyintan]

Some Iranian fans, journalists, coaches and former players keep complaining about Team Melli not playing higher ranked teams at home in Iran. So I decided to browse matches and looking up FIFA rank for Team Melli and opponent for each match. I noticed no higher ranked team has visited Iran since 2005 which means we all can blame Ahmadinejad who said he wish for Israel to be wiped out. However, Team Melli has faced higher ranked opponents away and on neutral venue most recently were Uruguay and Senegal back in 2022.

Here is the list. Impressive results in bold.

Home

2004 - Iran(20) vs 🇩🇪 Germany(13) 0:2
2002 - Iran(34) vs 🇵🇾 Paraguay(16) 1:1 [LG Cup]
2001 - Iran(51) vs 🇸🇰 Slovakia(35) 4:3
2000 - Iran(41) vs 🇪🇬 Egypt(31) 1:1 [LG Cup]
1998 - Iran(46) vs 🇯🇲 Jamaica(31) 1:0 [LG Cup]
1998 - Iran(45) vs 🇰🇼 Kuwait(43) 1:1

Away

2018 - 🇹🇳 Tunisia(23) vs Iran(33) 1:0
2010 - 🇰🇷 South Korea(44) vs Iran(65) 0:1
2009 - 🇧🇦 Bosnia and Herzegovina(44) vs Iran(61) 2:3
2007 - 🇲🇽 Mexico(20) vs Iran(41) 4:0
2006 - 🇭🇷 Croatia(23) vs Iran(23) 2:2 [NOTE: same rank]
2000 - 🇺🇸 USA(22) vs Iran(49) 1:1
1999 - 🇩🇰 Denmark(16) vs Iran(50) 0:0
1999 - 🇯🇵 Japan(44) vs Iran(50) 1:1
1998 - 🇭🇷 Croatia(19) vs Iran(42) 2:0
1997 - 🇨🇦 Canada(47) vs Iran(57) 0:1
1997 - 🇨🇳 China(60) vs Iran(87) 0:0
1997 - 🇰🇼 Kuwait(66) vs Iran(87) 0:2
1996 - 🇰🇼 Kuwait(86) vs Iran(115) 0:1
1996 - 🇰🇼 Kuwait(70) vs Iran(122) 1:2
1996 - 🇰🇼 Kuwait(70) vs Iran(122) 2:2

Neutral

2022 - Iran(21) vs 🇺🇾 Uruguay(13) 1:0 in Austria
2022 - Iran(21) vs 🇸🇳 Senegal(18) 1:1 in Austria
2018 - Iran(30) vs 🇻🇪 Venezuela(29) 1:1 in Qatar
2015 - Iran(42) vs 🇨🇱 Chile(15) 2:0 in Austria
2012 - Iran(48) vs 🇹🇳 Tunisia(41) 2:2 in Hungary
2011 - 🇷🇺 Russia(12) vs Iran(44) 0:1 in UAE
2010 - 🇧🇷 Brazil(4) vs Iran(57) 3:0 in UAE
2009 - 🇲🇱 Mali(47) vs Iran(64) 2:1 in Qatar [Qatar International Tournament]
2008 - 🇪🇨 Ecuador(36) vs Iran(43) 1:0 in Oman [Oman International Tournament]
2003 - 🇺🇾 Uruguay(28) vs Iran(34) 1:1 in Hong Kong [Carlsberg Cup]
2000 - 🇲🇽 Mexico(10) vs Iran(49) 2:1 in USA
1998 - 🇨🇱 Chile(16) vs Iran(46) 1:1 in Hong Kong [Carlsberg Cup]

[Rooyintan]

Based on my observation, Team Melli is only able to play higher ranked teams away and on neutral venue. Even AFC teams such as South Korea, Japan, China or those from countries with warm or reasonably good relations with Iran such as Russia, Venezuela, Mali, Ecuador, Tunisia, Croatia, Bosnia, Senegal, Uruguay when Team Melli had a lower rank than them they did not come to Iran.

What are everyone else's thoughts?

[arj42]

This is awesome information man thanks for compiling all of this. Damet garm

[Rooyintan]

It would be good for all those who live in fantasy world, come back to reality and be content with Team Melli facing higher ranked teams away or on neutral venue.

I hope Team Melli play Burkina Faso regularly specially in official FIFA international match.

I believe if somehow FFIRI brings Serbia, Croatia, Slovenia, Czechia, Greece, Kosovo, Armenia, Kazakhstan, Montenegro, Ecuador, Venezuela, Peru, Tunisia, Algeria, Mali, Ivory Coast, South Africa, DR Congo, Cape Verde, Uganda, Niger, Honduras, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti for home friendlies in Iran would be really good.

Alternatively, bring those who previously played friendlies in Iran however it has been many years or decades since their last friendly in Iran such as Turkey, Japan, South Korea, Uzbekistan, China, North Korea, Paraguay, Panama, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Slovakia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Senegal, Egypt, Libya, Guinea, Togo.