Team Melli begin their campaign against Morocco in St. Petersburg on June 15 as Queiroz attempts to steer the country to their first-ever appearance in the knockout rounds after four group stage exits.

But with games against 2010 FIFA World Cup winners Spain and reigning European champions Portugal to come after the opener against the North African nation, Daei stresses the task that lies ahead will be a major challenge.

Asia's top ranked team, who will be appearing in their second consecutive FIFA World Cup, are in Group B with reigning European champions Portugal, Spain and Morocco.

IR Iran will open their campaign against Morocco on June 15 before facing 2010 FIFA World Cup winners Spain on June 20. They play Portugal five days later.

IR Iran's initial target will be to qualify for the Round of 16, having not advanced past the group stage in their previous four appearances at the FIFA World Cup.

They will head to Russia with confidence, having sailed through qualifying as they sealed their place in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in unbeaten fashion.

IR Iran are joined by 2010 FIFA World Cup winners Spain, 2016 European champions Portugal, as well as Morocco, who did not concede a single goal in six CAF qualifying group games. The Iranians will need to draw on past successes for inspiration, and we look back at their finest World Cup moments so far:

The 23-year-old striker has already racked up 23 goals for IR Iran since making his debut against Montenegro in May 2014. 

That has put him in the top five of Team Melli's all-time goalscorers, helped by his great leaping ability and bursts of acceleration.

Born in the remote city of Gonbad-e Kavus in northeastern Iran, Azmoun was a volleyball star in his teenage years before landing a place at the Sepahan football academy in Isfahan.

He made a serious impact with IR Iran's youth teams between 2009 and 2013 and was snapped up by Russian club Rubin Kazan at the age of 17, becoming the first Iranian to play in the Russian Premier League. 

Azmoun stayed with the team despite reported interest from Arsenal and Liverpool, among others. He left for Russia's Rostov in 2015 before returning to Rubin Kazan two years later.

The FIFA World Cup is without a doubt the grandest stage in world football, and it comes as no surprise that a strong showing at just one tournament could massively shape a player's career in the years to come. As such, here are a number of players that could possibly propel themselves into the spotlight when the tournament kicks off in just over two weeks' time.

Nevertheless, with Son Heung-min – arguably Asia's finest footballer currently playing – and several other young attacking talents in the ranks, the Taeguk Warriors have the potential to excite.

Overview

Set for their ninth consecutive FIFA World Cup, Korea Republic have had a number of pre-Russia 2018 warm-up matches over the last six months with a wide variety of opponents and a series of mixed results. Wins over Moldova, Latvia and Honduras; a draw with Jamaica; losses to Northern Ireland, Poland and Bosnia and Herezegovina.

At the time of writing, Shin Tae-yong's side are yet to face Bolivia and Senegal in their final ties before they kick off their World Cup campaign against Sweden on June 18, but it seems the side are yet to settle on a line-up with a 3-5-2 formation the latest experiment in the defeat to Bosnia.

Overview

Japan’s preparation for Russia 2018 has not been the most straightforward of Asia's representatives, with coach Vahid Halilhodzic departing the helm just two months before the competition to be replaced with technical director Akira Nishino.

The former Gamba Osaka boss attempted a new three-man defence in his first match in charge, a 2-0 defeat at home to Ghana on May 30, as well as offering a reprieve to big names Shinji Kagawa, Keisuke Honda, and Shinji Okazaki, whose places were in doubt under Halilhodzic.