Iran aims for title in 2021 Futsal World Cup
Tasnim – KUANAS, Iran’s national futsal team is aiming to win the title in the 2021 FIFA Futsal World Cup.
Iran will start the campaign in Lithuania on Tuesday with a match against Serbia in Group F.
Team Melli will also play the USA and Argentina in the group stage.
Iran will enter its eighth FIFA Futsal World Cup campaign as a genuine challenger, having lifted the AFC Futsal Championship trophy 12 times, the-afc.com reported.
The Iranians made history in 2016 by finishing third, the best-ever achievement by an Asian team, and head coach Mohammed Nazemosharia is aiming for the title in Lithuania 2021.
Nazemosharia has retained most of the 2016 squad with the likes of Mahdi Javid, Hossein Tayebi, and captain Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh – a four-time AFC Futsal Player of the Year – leading the charge with defending champion Argentina the toughest hurdle.
History: 7 previous appearances – 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016; 12-time Asian champions
Recent Form – 3W: Thailand (5-1), Belarus (8-2, 5-1)
Players to Watch: Ali Asghar Hassanzadeh, Mahdi Javid, Hossein Tayebi
Challengers: Serbia (Sept 14), USA (Sept 17), Argentina (Sept 20)