World Cup 2014: Iran profile – Javad Nekounam

theguardian.com, John Duerden – With almost 140 caps to his name, the icon of Iranian football is seeking a glorious swansong in Brazil, and getting them out of Group F would certainly be a miraculous achievement.

“Nek-ou-nam, Nek-ou-nam, Nek-ou-nam!!!” shouted the goalscorer, pointing to the number 15 on his chest, as he ran towards the touchline to celebrate a goal that had kept Iran’s World Cup hopes alive. None of the 100,000 plus fans going crazy in Tehran’s Azadi Stadium needed any prompting, they were shouting the same. The commentator was too as were, probably, most of the country’s population of 80 million. If ever a team has a talisman, then Javad Nekounam is Iran’s.

In the end, that goal against South Korea in qualification for the 2010 World Cup was answered by Park Ji-sung – the two skippers formed a respectful rivalry in Asia – when again the crowd were already following the player’s celebration before it was actually performed as the Manchester United man put a quick fingers to his lips and then a cupped hand around his ear. For a moment, Nekounam had opened the door to South Africa though Team Melli (which just means the ‘national team’) couldn’t squeeze through. Four years later he scored at the same end in the same stadium against the same team and this time Iran was on the way to the World Cup. The deal was sealed in June 2013 in the return match in Korea.

In the bowels of Ulsan’s Munsu Stadium when the shouts from the Iranian dressing room echoed around the 2002 World Cup arena the Iran coach, Carlos Queiroz, nodded in the direction of his skipper. “He is the perfect captain,” said the delighted former Real Madrid manager. “He is the kind of player every team needs as he contributes in so many different ways. The bigger the occasion, the better he plays.”

A few months later and Nekounam smiles at the memory. “We are so happy to be going to the World Cup,” he told the Guardian. “It doesn’t matter if you are famous or not known at all, all players dream of playing there. It is hard to explain how I felt but when we qualified, it was one of the best moments of my life. We have to train hard, prepare well and be at our best. And then we will see what happens in Brazil.”

Just as some of the iconic football stadiums seem smaller in real life than on television, so does Nekounam, though he is far from small, such is his presence on the pitch. One translator on duty after an international friendly in 2010 confided that he had been nervous about sitting next to the player and being responsible for conveying his opinions to the massed media. Instead of the fierce warrior he expected, he got a polite, serious and quiet gentleman (and an attractive one too, Iran’s general team manager once said that all the women in Asia ‘think Javad is handsome’).

On the pitch, the 33-year-old doesn’t cover quite the same amount of ground as before but sets the tempo from deep in midfield and is just as likely to be found breaking up opposition attacks as arriving late on the edge of the area to fire another low shot into the net. He also takes a mean set piece.

Faced with Nigeria, Argentina and Bosnia in Group F, not many tip Iran to progress to the second round but this is a team not to be taken lightly. What is lacked in preparation is made up for in passion and there is no shortage of skill. Team Melli have yet to get over that first hurdle in three appearances and have just one World Cup win to their name, though that victory over the United States in Lyon in 1998 will live long in the memory.

It’s time to change all that and Nekounam can’t wait. This June is his second and surely last appearance at the World Cup finals. Back in 2006, he was a relatively junior, though important, member of the team that included such icons as Ali Daei and Ali Karimi. That pair of Alis – who both had mixed experiences at Bayern Munich – were reportedly the two pillars of power in the camp. Ahead of Germany, hopes were high that a talented team with a good deal of international experience could do well, but such divides in the dressing room contributed towards a disappointing campaign that saw Iran lose to Mexico and Portugal before drawing with Angola. Ahead of Brazil, Nekounam is not going to go over old problems but insists that he learnt plenty from Germany eight years ago.

“The 2006 World Cup was a memorable experience. Although we didn’t have success, I have good memories of the tournament and I realised many things that can help me become a better player and that every time you play, you get experience from that game. We couldn’t get the results we wanted but I saw that even the most famous players give everything at every moment, and that is why they are the best.”

He must have done something right because as soon as he returned home, Europe was calling. No Iranian had played in Spain’s La Liga before (and very few from Asia), and few would have expected Nekounam to stay with Osasuna for six seasons. Almost 150 games he played – and it would have been more if injuries had not interfered – and the man with almost 140 caps for his country became a firm favourite with fans in Spain. His determination, passing, technical ability and goals, 26 in all, helped the Pamplona club stay in the top flight in that period.

Nekounam finally left in 2012, with reports that the cash-strapped team wanted him to take a pay cut. He says however, it was all about returning home to play for Esteghlal. One of two Tehran titans, the Blues can attract over 100,000 to the Azadi Stadium, the same one that the national team and, to an extent, Nekounam, call home. “It was a personal decision. Esteghlal are a very big team that has won many honours in Asia and Iran,” says the player, although a recent move to Al Kuwait is perhaps better for the bank account and the relative lack of games keeps him fresh for Brazil.

Now though, it is all about the summer and giving Iran’s million of fans something to smile about and the western media something to talk about other than nuclear issues and regional instability. “The world saw in 2006 that Iran loves the national team,” says the captain. “Everywhere we go, we can find our fans. They are colourful and love the game so much. They will be in Brazil too. We are ready. All of Iran is ready.”