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Iranian football started way back in 1914, when the game was played between the European embassies in the country. IR Iran played its first national game against Afghanistan in 1941 in Kabul. Thereafter the sport has grown up immensely in the country and now they can boast of having one of the most passionate group of fans.
Crowned Asian Champions three times (1968, 1972, 1976) and four times champion of the Asian Games (1974, 1990, 1998, 2002), IR Iran is undoubtedly one of Asia's top teams. Most recently, at the Asian Cup China 2004, Team Melli progressed to the semi-finals, only to lose to host China PR.
The Iranians reached their first FIFA World Cup as the sole representative from Asia at Argentina '78, when they shockingly drew Scotland 1-1 in between losses to Holland and Peru. Twenty years later they reached their other finals at France '98 and claimed their first victory by legendarily beating the United States 2-1 (wtih goals from Hamid Estili and Mehdi Mahdavikia). They were the only one of the four Asian sides at that tournament to win a match.
Individually, IR Iran had always produced breath-taking footballers. Ali Daei currently holds the world record of having scored the most international goals. As of 24 December 2004, the striker has scored 103 international goals. Players like Ali Karimi, dubbed Maradona of Asia, Mehdi Mahdavikia, Ali Daei and Khodadad Azizi have all been named Asia's Best Players.
Further, the players have made an impact even when they are with their European-based clubs. Just to name a few, Mahdavikia has been voted by Hamburg supporters as their best players while Rahman Rezaei.
With the talents that they possess, it is only a matter of time before IR Iran blow their opposition away. The challenge that remains is for the coach of blend all these brilliant individuals into a cohesive unit.
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