Final Team Melli squad for Asian Cup released

AFCAsianCup – TEHRAN, Carlos Queiroz has called up 13 of the squad that featured at the FIFA World Cup finals in Brazil in June as Iran aim to claim a first AFC Asian Cup title since 1976 in Australia in January.

The Iranians were eliminated at the end of the group stages of the tournament in Brazil, but only after impressing against Nigeria and Argentina and the former Real Madrid coach’s team go into the continental championship amongst the favorites.

Veteran Osasuna midfielder Javad Nekounam will captain the team as Iran aim for a record equaling fourth AFC Asian Cup title, following on from those won in 1968, 1972 and 1976.

Iran have been drawn in Group C alongside Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Gulf Cup champions Qatar and will kick off their campaign on January 11 in Melbourne against the Bahrainis.

Squad

Alireza Haghighi (FC Penafiel, Portugal), Khosro Heidari (Esteghlal), Ehsan Hajisafi (Foolad Sepahan), Jalal Hosseini (Al Ahli, Qatar), Amirhossein Sadeghi (Esteghlal), Javad Nekounam (Osasuna, Spain), Masoud Shojaei (Al Shahniya, Qatar), Morteza Pouraliganji (Naft Tehran), Omid Ebrahimi (Esteghlal), Karim Ansarifard (Osasuna, Spain), Vorya Ghafouri (Naft Tehran), Mohsen Foroozan (Esteghlal), Vahid Amiry (Naft Tehran), Andranik Teymourian (Tractorsazi), Ramin Rezaeian (Rah Ahan), Reza Ghoochannejhad (Kuwait SC, Kuwait), Soroush Rafiei (Foolad Khuzestan), Alireza Jahanbakhsh (NEC Nijmegen, Netherlands), Hashem Beikzadeh (Esteghlal), Sardar Azmoun (Rubin Kazan, Russia), Ashkan Dejagah (Al Arabi, Qatar), Alireza Beiranvand (Naft Tehran), Mehrdad Pooladi (Al Shahniya, Qatar)