Some big surprises, as Queiroz trims squad to 24

Persianfootball.com – TEHRAN, Iran coach Carlos Queiroz dropped 11 players from the squad, following the narrow 1-0 friendly match win over Uzbekistan and ahead of the training camp in Turkey, which includes a friendly match against the hosts.

Among the dropped players are some big names and players, who many would have expected to make the final World Cup list, such as veteran defender Seyed Jalal Hosseini, in-form right-back Vouria Ghafouri and Charleroi striker Kaveh Rezaei.

However, the trio explicitely has been named as stand-by players, who might be called up for the World Cup, should another player not be able to make it.

The further dropped players are goalkeeper Hossein Hosseini, defenders Steven Beitashour, Saeid Aghaei and Mohammad Ansari as well as midfielders Ahmad Abdollahzadeh, Soroush Rafiei, Omid Nourafkan and Ali Karimi (the latter due to injury).

Young trio Mehdi Torabi, Ali Gholizadeh and Majid Hosseini instead made the list following impressive seasons in the domestic league and pleasing performances versus Uzbekistan.

The final 23-man squad will have to be announced by June 4.

Below comes the list of players:

Goalkeepers:
Alireza Beiranvand – Persepolis
Rashid Mazaheri – Zob Ahan
Amir Abedzadeh – Maritimo, POR

Defenders:
Ramin Rezaeian – Oostende, BEL
Mohammad-Reza Khanzadeh – Padideh
Morteza Pouraliganji – Al Sadd, QAT
Pejman Montazeri – Esteghlal
Rouzbeh Cheshmi – Esteghlal
Majid Hosseini – Esteghlal
Milad Mohammadi – FC Akhmat, RUS

Midfielders:
Saeid Ezatollahi – Amkar, RUS
Ehsan Hajsafi – Olympiacos, GRE
Omid Ebrahimi – Esteghlal
Masoud Shojaei – AEK Athens, GRE
Ashkan Dejagah – Nottingham Forest, ENG

Wingers:
Alireza Jahanbakhsh – AZ Alkmaar, NED
Mehdi Taremi – Al Gharaffa, QAT
Saman Ghoddos – Oestersunds, SWE
Vahid Amiri – Persepolis
Mehdi Torabi – Saipa
Ali Gholizadeh – Saipa

Strikers:
Sadar Azmoun – Rubin Kazan, RUS
Karim Ansarifard – Olympiacos, GRE
Reza Ghoochannejhad – Heerenveen, NED

Stand-by: Hossein Hosseini, Jalal Hosseini, Vouria Ghafouri, Kaveh Rezaei