Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Alkmaar: The Islamic Republic of Iran has long been a powerhouse nation in Asia, but remarkably it’s been 42 years since Team Melli won the AFC Asian Cup, winning the last of their three titles on home soil in 1976.
As the number one ranked team in Asia, expectations are high in Iran that 2019 might be the year that Carlos Queiroz’s side lifts high the continent’s biggest prize.
One of the players hoping to return his country to the top of Asia is Alireza Jahanbakhsh, and the-AFC.com recently spoke to the Netherlands-based forward to get his thoughts on the tournament ahead of the upcoming AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 Official Draw.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Dubai: The Final Draw for the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 takes place on May 4. We know the identities of 24 teams and it's time to turn our attention to the permutations on offer.
The-AFC.com looks at what could unfold at the prestigious tournament draw event in Dubai and which teams could be pitted against one another in the proverbial group of death, groups of champions, familiar foes and more.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: United Arab Emirates coach Alberto Zaccheroni has admitted that he would prefer to save a meeting with Japan to the later rounds of the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 ahead of the official draw in Dubai next Friday.
Italian Zaccheroni led the East Asians to their last continental title back in 2011 during four years at the helm of the Samurai Blue before stepping down following the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
After a short stint in China with Beijing Guoan in 2016, Zaccheroni was tempted back into international management in October last year as the UAE entrusted the former AC Milan and Juventus head coach as the man to bring glory to the Gulf state on home soil in early 2019.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Dubai: The draw for the hotly anticipated AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 will take place at Dubai's Burj Al Arab hotel on Friday.
As excitement for the continental competition starts to build, the-AFC.com picks out some of the key statistics from a tournament which boasts a proud history dating all the way back to 1956.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tehran: Islamic Republic of Iran kicked off their FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 preparations by defeating Sierra Leone 4-0 in a friendly at the Azadi Stadium on Saturday.
Mohammad Reza Khanzadeh gave Iran the lead just 14 minutes into the match and Asia's top ranked team doubled their lead two minutes later when Ali Gholizadeh scored with a long range effort.
Kaveh Rezaei ensured victory was sealed when he added Iran's third 10 minutes before the half time whistle and Gholizadeh scored his second two minutes into the restart to emphatically clinch the win.
“We had a good match. I would like to thank Sierra Leone national football team because they came here to play us. It was a long trip for them,” Iran head coach Carlos Queiroz said after the match.
Iran, the first Asian team to seal qualification for the FIFA World Cup, are in Group D alongside Spain, Morocco and Portugal in Russia 2018.
They will open their campaign against Morocco on June 15.
Team Melli will then face former champions Spain on June 20 before meeting reigning European champions Portugal five days later.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuala Lumpur: Islamic Republic of Iran head coach Carlos Queiroz believes his charges are better equipped to make it past the group stage of the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 in June than four years ago in Brazil.
“We have more solutions, we are better prepared, and we have more experience, especially now that we have more players in Europe. The competition in (the) FIFA (World Cup) is very intense and difficult but we want to do better.
"As coaches, we always want more and we want to make to the second stage in Russia, that is the target,” said the former Portugal and Real Madrid coach in an exclusive interview with the-AFC.com.
“In order to that, it is important to put in place good preparations, especially for our local-based players,” added Queiroz, whose side will face Turkey, Greece and Lithuania in the final stages of preparations in May 2018.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Tehran: Ali Daei was full of praise for coach Carlos Queiroz ahead of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s FIFA World Cup Russia 2018 qualifier with Uzbekistan on Monday in a game that will see Team Melli qualify for the tournament should they secure all three points.
Iran legend Daei, who is now head coach at Saipa FC, played 149 times for his country and scored a record 109 goals – a feat that is by far and away the most anyone has ever scored for their national side and 25 ahead of second-placed Ferenc Puskas of Hungary.
The current team, though, look set to create their own piece of history as victory in front of home support at Azadi Stadium will guarantee successive appearances at the FIFA World Cup for the first time.