Ramin Rezaeian Hopes to Play in 2022 World Cup: AFC
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran squad selection has left several players with fighting chances of making the cut once the final squad is announced in under two months’ time.
Far from being business as usual, September’s call-ups included numerous debutants, returning veterans and surprise.
The return of Carlos Queiroz to the helm spelled hope for many a Dragan Skocic outcast, but also rang alarm bells for a few of his favorites who were left fearing for their places under the new-old regime.
One man who has been handed a leash of life by Queiroz is veteran right-back Ramin Rezaeian, the-afc.com wrote.
The 33-year-old played all 270 minutes of action under the Portuguese back in Russia 2018 and every minute of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 knockout stage games but was then dropped in favor of Sadegh Moharrami under Skocic.
Having now ended a five-year spell abroad in Belgium and Qatar, joining Sepahan, Rezaeian’s strong start to the Iran Professional League season and the return of Queiroz herald hope for a place in Qatar 2022, but he still must edge out competition from Moharrami and Saleh Hardani in this camp.
Elsewhere in the squad, Hull City winger Allahyar Sayyadmanesh faces his own battle to make it to the FIFA World Cup as he continues his recovery from a hamstring injury suffered last month.
Iran’s only goalscorer in Russia 2018 Karim Ansarifard is likely to be the man he has to dislodge from the squad should he return to full health in time.
