Tehran, May 17: Veteran striker Sardar Azmoun was the biggest absentee as Iran national football team announced their preliminary 30-member squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup ahead of a pre-tournament training camp in Turkiye.
Azmoun’s omission has drawn considerable attention amid reports in Iranian media that the experienced forward had fallen out of favour with authorities earlier this year following a social media post that was viewed as politically sensitive during the ongoing tensions involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
The 31-year-old, who currently plays for Shabab Al-Ahli in the United Arab Emirates, reportedly faced criticism after sharing a photograph on Instagram featuring a meeting with Dubai ruler Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Reports later suggested that Azmoun had been excluded from the national team setup, although the striker subsequently deleted the post.
One of Iran’s most accomplished forwards in recent years, Azmoun has scored 57 goals in 91 appearances for the national side and represented the country in the previous two FIFA World Cups.
Iran’s attack for the upcoming tournament is expected to be spearheaded by Mehdi Taremi, who currently plays for Olympiacos FC after successful spells in European football.
Head coach Amir Ghalenoei admitted that selecting the final training camp squad had been one of the toughest decisions of his coaching career, insisting that the choices were based entirely on technical considerations.
The Iranian squad will travel to Antalya in Turkiye for a training camp and warm-up matches before heading to the United States for the World Cup. Iran are scheduled to face Gambia national football team in a friendly on May 29 and are also planning another preparatory match during the camp. (Agencies)
