Goal machine Taremi ready to lead Iran’s World Cup push
PORTO, PORTUGAL - OCTOBER 04: Mehdi Taremi of FC Porto in action during the UEFA Champions League group B match between FC Porto and Bayer 04 Leverkusen at Estadio do Dragao on October 4, 2022 in Porto, Portugal. (Photo by Octavio Passos/Getty Images)
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Loading...Reuters – PORTO, Iran striker Mehdi Taremi’s four years in Portuguese football have turned unquestioned potential into one of the most potent weapons at the disposal of national team coach Carlos Queiroz.
Since featuring for Team Melli at the last World Cup — and missing a late opportunity against Portugal to take Iran into the knockout rounds for the first time — the 30-year-old from Bushehr has turned into a scoring machine.
Taremi established himself as one of the most talked about players in Iran before Russia 2018 but until then he eschewed advances to move to Europe to stay much closer to home.
In 2016 he signed a contract with Turkish side Caykur Rizespor before deciding to stay with Tehran-based Persepolis, a decision that was to cost him four months of his career in 2017 when he was banned by FIFA for breaching that agreement.
It was to prove a brief setback for Taremi, who had signed an 18-month contract with Qatar’s Al Gharafah ahead of the last World Cup but before long was on his way west, joining Rio Ave in the Portuguese league.
